Unbaptized Days

Sometimes called "Unclean Days" or "Pagan Days" or "Midwinter Rites" depending on the book and the author.

## Karankoncolos

### Source 1

*Rosica Topalova, curator in department Ethnography of Regonal Burgas Museum*

The days between Christmas and Epiphany (December 25 to January 6) are known in the Bulgarian tradition as "the dirty" (bg: mrusni), unbaptized or Karankoncolos' days. People believed then the barrier between the two worlds has fallen and the boogeymen and other dangerous creatures - vampires, goblins, fairies roam through the human realm. To protect themselves from these supernatural creatures during the 12 days, people observe many prohibitions. The most important is to not go out from sunset until dawn. This is why at that time of the year people don't go to the traditional evening gatherings.

Against evil and demons the clothes were stitched with garlic. Adults do not bathe because the water is unlit, and before a baby is bathed the water is cleaned with burning charcoal. Sexual intercourse is not recommended as the conceived children during that time were to become thieves or magicians.

Men clothes should not be sewn, else the wolves would devour men. But if a child is born, a new shirt is made for it immediately or a dragon would fall in love with it when it grows up.

It is believed that these days are unbaptized (pagan) and therefore during them Christian rites such as baptism, wedding, memorial service for the deceased, are not to be performed.

In southeastern Bulgaria on the day before St.Basil's holiday a big fire is set up in the center of the village. It is maintained for three days and three nights to purify the area. Everyone in the village throws wood in the fire and on the third morning the coals are turned and if they sparkle, there will be health and prosperity.

The last day of the so called Dirty Days of Unbaptized Days is Epiphany or Theophany. The night before the feast, the sky opens, the Lord Himself appeared to the gates of heaven and if you wish yourself something really important, it will come true!

## Vasilitsa

### Source 1

**Excerpted.**

 Partly on the territory of Macedonia has a large number of customs, traditions and habits. Macedonians have a variety of ways to celebrate the holidays, and those that are the most common, often associated with pagan beliefs. One of these practices is associated with the period of Vasilitsa – a holiday, which is celebrated during the so-called “unbaptized days” – a period that lasts from Christmas to Epiphany, when, according to tradition, Jesus was not yet baptized and the devil tries to deceive Jesus and make him give up baptized.

People believe that the unbaptized dead are activated days, vampires, demons, (in Macedonia, Bulgaria and Serbia, known as “karakondzuli”), witches, fairies and other creatures. During this period, they are most active and cause harm to people. To ward off evil things and situations, people perform various magical protective rituals.

Another pagan ritual, which takes place during the Vasilitsa – Tsolomari ritual. This ceremony is held in the village near the town of Kavadarci Vegnishte. Tsolomari history began many centuries ago, when the local population fled from the Ottoman Turks

### Source 2

The rite of passage from childhood to maturity in Macedonia was also closely related to the observance of the primordial cult of Leivino Dionis, and that can also be seen in Erodot, as described by the Persians who came to the Macedonian king Aminta to demand land and water. Aminta invited them to attend a lavish banquet, to which they asked to be escorted by Macedonian girls. But, Alexander, son of Aminta refused to let the girls to be ravished, and instead ordered several beardless boys to dress in female clothes and sit down with the Persians in disguise. When the Persians tried to defile what they believed were girls, the disguised boys jumped up and beat them. In today Republic of Macedonia the ancient custom of pretending and disgusing from reasons of immediate necessity, has been slightly transformed in the times of medieval Skomrachi, and in today modern society it is practiced during the Christmas holidays, specifically in celebration of the holiday “Vasilitsa” during the so-called “Unbaptized days” (Mkd. ‘Nekrsteni denovi’) which are the twelve days from “Badnik” on January 7th till “Vodici” (Epiphany) on January 19th. During that period according to various folk beliefs, various evil spirits enter the homes of those participating in holiday feasts and try to harm the people inside. In Gevgelija, a city in southern R. of Macedonia, these days are known as “Pogani days”, elsewhere as “Ristosovi (Christ’s) Days”, and so on.

The 1st festival, Rural or Lesser Dionisia , a vintage festival, was celebrated in the various districts of Macedonia in the month of Audonaios/Poseideon (today December, i.e. the 10th month), hence one of the Leivino Dionis’s epithets was Adonai, like the month, and this festival was under the superintendence of the several local magistrates, the Demarchs. This was doubtless the most ancient festival of all, and was held with the highest degree of merriment and freedom; even slaves enjoyed full freedom during its celebration, and their boisterous shouts on the occasion were almost intolerable. It is here that we have to seek for the origin of ‘comedy’, in the jests and the scurrilous abuse with which the peasants assailed the bystanders from a wagon in which they rode about. The Dionisia in the Peiraeus, as well as those of the other districts in Attica, belonged to the Rural Lesser Dionisia. It is still celebrated in today Macedonia under the name of ‘ Badnik ’ and/or ‘ Vasilitsa ’, although the dates are not in the 10th month of December anymore, but now they’re falling in the first half of January, due to the delay accumulated by use of different calendars in the last 2000 years. Just the switch from Julian to Gregorian calendar in 1582 added 10 days of difference. Then after, in 1752, more days were addedand the New Year's Day was changed from March 25 to January 1, and dates using the new calendar were designated ‘New Style.’

## In Vampireology

### Source 1

**Excerpt: THE "UNCLEAN DAYS" By Bruce McClelland**

Vampires, along with other nocturnal demons (in particular, one known as karakondzol), are also associated with certian calendrical periods. In Bulgaria, the "twelve days of Christmas," from Christmas Eve through Epiphany, or Jordan's Day (January 6), are known as the "Unclean Days." Other names for this period are quite revealing: they include "Pagan Days," "Ember Days," "Unbaptized Days," and even "Vampire Days." This brief midwinter period represents a time when, it is believed, evil spirits are able to roam the earth. Consequently, taboos against certain behaviors are stronger and more elaborate during this period than usual.

The period known as the "Unclean Days" represents a bounded time when the pre-Christian substratum of Bulgarian folk belief is permitted expression. Indeed, the very name "Pagan Days" conveys this, and the emergence onto the earth of demons during this time corresponds to the reemergence of suppressed pagan divinities. Rituals performed during and at the end of this period strongly suggest purification and a need to reintegrate into the community those who have been obliged to have contact with the dangerous forces of pagan religion. During the Pagan Days, it is claimed, performing Christian rites actually strengthens the fatal influence of evil forces. Consequently, birthdays, weddings, and baptisms are never performed during this time, and if someone should die, he or she is buried, but the Christian burial service is reserved for after Epiphany.

The restrictions, practices, and beliefs associated with this period are quite ancient and not merely Slavic. Many Western and Central European cultures possess folklore about pagan activity during this time of year. In fifteenth-century Germany, for example, there is testimony about a band of witches who traveled out of their bodies during the Ember Days, "provoking storms and casting non-fatal spells on men." Similarly, the benandanti were said to leave their bodies to fight witches during the Ember Days. For all its importance as a Christian holiday, the time between Christmas and Epiphany is also strongly associated with pre-Christian belief, as if the repression of the pagan gods (or the agrarian worldview those gods might represent) could not be vigorously maintained during this transitional period.

In South Slavic belief, people who die during this period invariably become vampires. Also, children who are born or conceived during this period have special powers and may themselves become vampires. Bulgarian villagers seem to be highly susceptible to contamination during this period and are thus guarded by a plethora of taboos. Banning of sexual intercourse during this period of course eliminates the possibility of conceiving a future vampire, but it also has the implicit (and intended) side effect of blocking indulgence in fleshly pleasures during a holy period. When we recall that fleshly celebrations were condemned as pagan by Orthodox apologists, the link between vampires and paganism becomes unequivocal.

### Source 2

**Excerpt:** from a blog post by "Shadow".

In Balkan peninsula ( and most of Eastern Europe ) folklore there is a specific time of the year, between 7th and 19th/20th January called “Unbabtized days”, called so since no weddings or Baptisms are preformed in Orthodox Christian temples , during these particular days. Folk people believe souls of the dead, and all sort of chthonic creatures and demons roam freely on these days attacking and tormenting people, causing illness and misfortune. These days are therefore, very dangerous and as such are fulfilled with folk magick practices of speaking apotropaic incantations, and prayers, carrying protective charms etc. Among people of Vlasi situated in Southern Serbia, carrying garlic, piece of bread and sowing shift shall keep one protected from most of the demons that are customary mischievous and aggressive during that time interval. It’s worth to note here, that what the mentioned people use the word demon in very loose way, usually to describe chthonic entities, or types of spirits that come to existence as a result of changed ghost of evil, improperly buried or otherwise uncommon people. Meaning, thought the use of the very word is consequence of Christianization of Slavic people , the word might not share the same attributes implied in/by Christian theology. Furthermore, people in Balkan believe that if their compatriots die during unbaptized days , they will become vampires, or other kind of harmful supernatural creatures. Mostly prone to such are newborns, which tend to turn into some very nasty creatures If they die unbabtized, and during these days. The only way to prevent that from happening is to give them a proper burial, but outside on graveyard, they are often buried in forests, or crossroad instead. It is suggested (in Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia and Montenegro) to evade, by all means being outside on these days after the nightfall. The harmful creatures often linger in wells, on doorsteps, forests, crossroads etc., and those places should be bypassed in wide range. Cunning folk warn us to stay away from them in wide circle. Also, during these days, You might want to, try carrying this herbal charm, reputed (By Balkan peninsula cunning folk and witches) to repel evil and protect from it :

* Basil
* Garlic
* Cloves

Very powerful, and covers large deal of protection from negative influences, including evil spirits and demons ( in Christian sense of the word ) and as powder could be used as Banishment and Exorcism agent as well.

## References and Sources

1. ↑ http://www.burgasmuseums.bg/index.php?page=encdetail&id=160&lang=en
2. ↑ https://tophotshots.org/tsolomari-ghosts-frighten-off-evil-spirits-macedonia/
3. ↑ Religion and Mythology in Ancient Macedonia - The Gods of Macedon, Ptolemaic Egypt, and their descent. by Basil Chulev 2017 Pages 78-79 https://archive.org/details/AncientMacedonia-TheGodsOfMacedon/page/78/mode/2up
4. ↑ Religion and Mythology in Ancient Macedonia - The Gods of Macedon, Ptolemaic Egypt, and their descent. by Basil Chulev 2017 Pages 78-79, 137-138 https://archive.org/details/AncientMacedonia-TheGodsOfMacedon/page/136/mode/2up
5. ↑ Slayers and Their Vampires: A Cultural History of Killing the Dead By Bruce McClelland University of Michigan Press, Jul 28, 2006 pages 57-58 https://books.google.com/books?id=pMyem0a\_o3sC&pg=PA57&lpg=PA57&dq=Unbaptized+Days&source=bl&ots=PhQ-Arz\_Wt&sig=ACfU3U3\_9Yf83auIdoQNLzx53xM7QQ4ibw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjQw6y\_\_YnqAhWEsZ4KHTLcDw0Q6AEwBnoECAkQAQ#v=onepage&q=Unbaptized%20Days&f=false
6. ↑ http://shadowsmagickplace.blogspot.com/2012/01/unbaptized-days-january-folklore-of.html

## Additional Reading

* https://archive.org/details/AncientMacedonia-TheGodsOfMacedon/mode/2up
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kallikantzaros#:~:text=In%20Serbian%20Christmas%20traditions%2C%20the,go%20out%20late%20at%20night.
* https://books.google.com/books?id=pMyem0a\_o3sC&pg=PA57&lpg=PA57&dq=Unbaptized+Days&source=bl&ots=PhQ-Arz\_Wt&sig=ACfU3U3\_9Yf83auIdoQNLzx53xM7QQ4ibw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjQw6y\_\_YnqAhWEsZ4KHTLcDw0Q6AEwBnoECAkQAQ#v=onepage&q=Unbaptized%20Days&f=false
* http://www.matrifocus.com/IMB07/scholar.htm