Miroslavljevo Jevandjelje

Najstarija srpska ćirilična knjiga „Miroslavljevo jevanđelje”
- Једна од најлепших рукописних књига света
- Највреднија реликвија српског народа
- Најстарији српски ћирилични рукопис
„Miroslavljevo jevanđelje”, najstariji ćirilični spomenik srpske kulture, nastao je u poslednjoj četvrti XII veka u crkvi Svetog Petra i Pavla na reci Lim kod Bijelog Polja.

Upisano je u registar baštine UNESKO-a, a čuva se u Narodnom muzeju u Beogradu.
Miroslavljevo jevanđelje je, zajedno sa državnom blagajnom, pratilo povlačenje srpske vojske kroz bespuća albanskih planina do San Đovani di Medua, a zatim preko Brindizija do Krfa, da bi se zajedno sa srpskom i savezničkom vojskom vratilo u Srbiju.
Na sreću, 6. aprila 1941. godine Jevanđelje nije bilo u zgradi Narodne biblioteke, koja je, planski, do temelja srušena u nemačkom bombardovanju Beograda.
Posle Drugog svetskog rata, Miroslavljevo jevanđelje je smešteno u zgradu Narodnog muzeja, bivšeg muzeja kneza Pavla.
Najstariji i najlepši ćirilični spomenik srpske pismenosti, Miroslavljevo jevanđelje, nastao je u poslednjoj četvrtini XII veka.

Na ovo nam ukazuju i reči, ispisane rukom jednog od pisara, koje nalazimo na poslednjoj strani knjige:"Ja, grešni Gligorije dijak... zastavih zlatom ovo jevanđelje velikoslavnom knezu Miroslavu, sinu Zavidinu..."

Knez Miroslav, brat velikog župana Stefana Nemanje, vladao je humskom oblašću, koja je dobrim delom obuhvatala teritoriju današnje Hercegovine.

Moguće je da je izradu jevanđelistara naručio povodom izgradnje svoje zadužbine, crkve sv. Petra na Limu.

Ne zna se kako je i kada Jevanđelje iz Huma preneto u manastir Hilandar. O tome ne postoje nikakvi podaci, pa cak ni legenda. Jedna od pretpostavki je da ga je doneo Nemanja prilikom osnivanja manastira.

Za Miroslavljevo jevanđelje srpska nauka je saznala relativno kasno, tek u drugoj polovini XIX veka.

Iskušenju, kome nije odoleo ruski arhimandrit, kasnije vladika kijevski - Porfirije Uspenski - možemo da zahvalimo što je ovaj rukopis, posle sedam vekova mirovanja, privukao pažnju tadašnjih istoričara.

Opčinjen lepotom knjige, Uspenski je u zimu 1845/46. godine, u samoći biblioteke manastira Hilandara, krišom isekao jedan list (folio 166; po našoj paginaciji 330-331) i preneo ga u Rusiju, gde se i danas cuva u Publičnoj biblioteci Saltikova-Šcedrina, u Petrogradu (F. p. I 83).

Do pojavljivanja "petrogradskog lista", na arheološkoj izložbi u Kijevu, prošlo je 28 godina.

Za to vreme o "listu srpskog jevanđelja iz XII veka" napisano je nekoliko prikaza, u kojima su se o vrednosti i lepoti njegovih ukrasa izricale najpohvalnije reči.

Na kijevskoj izložbi, 1874. godine, ovaj list fotografiše Stojan Novaković, tadašnji upravnik Narodne biblioteke u Beogradu, koji i čitavom rukopisu daje ime Miroslavljevo jevanđelje (iako je zapravo rec o jevanđelistaru).

Veliko zalaganje srpskih sveštenih krugova, kao i srpskih naučnika dovelo je do toga da mladi kralj Aleksandar I Obrenović o Uskrsu 1896. godine poseti Hilandar.

Tom prilikom, on je bogato obdario manastir koji je bio u veoma teškoj situaciji, a Hilandarci su mu, za uzvrat, poklonili svoje najvrednije relikvije: Miroslavljevo jevanđelje i Osnivačku povelju Simeona Nemanje, koja je u međuvremenu izgubljena.

Čudnovati splet okolnosti doveo je do toga da se reprint Miroslavljevog jevanđelja pojavljuje ravno sto godina posle fotolitografskog izdanja koje je u Beču uradio Ljubomir Stojanović, velikim ličnim požrtvovanjem, a o trošku kralja Aleksandra I Obrenovića.

Izdanje iz 1897. godine predstavljalo je vrhunac štampe, u odnosu na mogućnosti tehnike i finansija kojima je Stojanović raspolagao. Štampano je u 300 primeraka i sadržalo je 40 strana u koloru i u formatu koji je identičan originalu, a ostalih 320, u dve boje (crna i crvena) i na pola smanjenog formata, postavljane su po dve na stranu.

Objavljivanje fototipskog izdanja Miroslavljevog jevanđelja ostao je neostvaren san mnogih priređivača i izdavača u proteklim decenijama.

Iz različitih razloga, na potpuno i pravo fototipsko izdanje moralo je da se sačeka još čitav vek, pa da se, tek na kraju ovog milenijuma, knjiga prvi put pojavi verno reprodukovana, sa svim stranicama u koloru, pozlatom inicijala i rekonstrukcijom sadašnjeg poveza.

O samom Miroslavljevom jevanđelju, njegovom značaju, vrednosti i istorijatu, biće reči u dve knjige koje se, u kompletu s fototipskim izdanjem, prilažu kao neophodan prateći materijal.

Prva, pod naslovom Istorijat, bavi se burnom sudbinom koju je ovaj spomenik, u osam vekova dugoj istoriji imao.

Ova knjiga, koja je za Srbe oduvek imala značaj posebne relikvije, preživljavala je drame jednog naroda u svim trenucima slave i poraza koje mu je istorija nametala.

Posle Majskog prevrata, 1903. godine, kada je dinastiju Obrenoviča na prestolu Srbije zamenila dinastija Karadordeviča, Jevanđelje je, pod još uvek nejasnim okolnostima, nestalo, da bi se ponovo pojavilo tek 1915.

U Prvom svetskom ratu, zajedno s vojskom i kraljem, pratilo je epopeju povlačenja preko bespuća Albanije.

U Drugom svetskom ratu, skrivano u Užicu, zatim u manastiru Rača na Drini i konačno u sefu Narodne banke u Beogradu, izbeglo je sudbinu mnogih spaljenih i pokradenih knjiga.

Danas se Jevanđelje nalazi u Narodnom muzeju u Beogradu.

Druga knjiga, pod naslovom Komentari, predstavlja najnužniji zbornik podataka i tekstova vezanih za samo Jevanđelje: katalog inicijala, redosled čitanja, način na koji su spravljane boje i pripremani listovi pergamenta srednjovekovnih knjiga, kao i nekoliko reči o oštećenjima, povezu i trenutnom stanju u kome se rukopis danas nalazi.
Sudeći po malobrojnim tragovima voska, Jevanđelje nije često bilo u liturgijskoj upotrebi. Vekovna briga hilandarskih monaha, kao i posebna pažnja koja mu je kasnije posvećivana, doprineli su da se rukopis održi u relativno dobrom stanju.

Stoga, eventualne razlike izmedu fototipskog izdanja koje je odslikavalo stanje Jevanđelja od pre sto godina i ovog sadašnjeg mogu biti značajne za tačno utvrdivanje oštećenja nastalih u međuvremenu, kao posledica uslova pod kojima je čuvano.

Sudeći po tragovima na poslednjoj strani korica, da se pretpostaviti da je Jevanđelje imalo kopče sa sve tri slobodne strane knjižnog bloka, i to po dve sa strane i po jednu na gornjoj i donjoj ivici. Oblik kopči i pletenica rekonstruisan je na osnovu tipskih poveza iz perioda XII - XIV veka, jer je sadašnji povez, po mišljenju nekih istoričara, kasnijeg datuma u odnosu na rukopis.

Otisci na prvoj i poslednjoj strani korica su verna reprodukcija "slepih otisaka" (utisnutih ornamenata na koži) originala, što važi i za metalne eksere i ukrase.

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Овај настарији сачувани српски ћирилични рукопис, који се сматра једном од најлепших рукописних књига света, доспео је у српски манастир Хиландар на Светој Гори вероватно још приликом његовог оснивања 1198. године и у њему остао као највреднија светиња пуних седам векова.

Од тада до данас ова српска света и култна књига преживљава своју готово невероватну одисеју кроз страдања, ватру и похаре I. и II. светског рата, да би се данас чувала у Народном Музеју у Београду као највећа драгоценост културно-историјске баштине српског народа.
Поред самог ћириличног текста, исписаног руком "грешног дијака Григорија" посебну вредност овог јеванђелистара представљају ликовни украси - иницијали - који се по лепоти и стилу израде сматрају апсолутно јединственим у свету где немају познатих директних узора.

Сликани украси овог рукописа, чудесне минијатуре са непоновљивим византијским мотивима фанатастичне флоре и фауне, чине МИРОСЛАВЉЕВО ЈЕВАНЂЕЉЕ непоновљивим ликовним и уметничким ремек-делом.
За сваког Србина и Српску православну цркву ово ремек-дело наших великих предака представља највреднији тестамент који су нам они оставили на чување, да по њему једном за увек препознајемо наше национално биће и свој индентитет.

Први пут у историји нашим очевима пружа се прилика да ову националну реликвију трајно сачувају у својим породицима и као породичну амајлију оставе је будућим поколењима својих синова и унука да је чувају као највреднији писани споменик српског народа.

После пет година напорног истраживачког рада и припреме, двема издавачким кућама из Београда - "Службеном листу" и "Досијеу" - пошло је за руком да први у овом веку заврше у Јоханесбургу штампу првог фототипског и библиофилског издања овог јеванђеља.
Од укупног тиража од 300 примерака, комплет "Мироcлављевог јеванђеља" до сада је укоричен и повезан у ограниченом тиражу од само 30 примерака, а сваки примерак посебно је нумерисан у "Повељи о власништву" за сваког појединачног купца, чије се име такође уписује у Повељу.

Комплет је тежак 10 килограма а смештен је у чврстој кутији, повезаној платном, на којој је утиснут аверс и реверс Мирослављевог печата.

У кутији се поред "Повеље о власништву" налазе и две књиге у антилоп-кожном повезу - "Мирослављево јеванђеље-Историјат" и "Мирослављево јеванђеље- Коментари" - формата Б5.
Само Јевађеље штампано је потпуно верно оригиналу у индентичном формату као оригинал 41,8 х 28,4 цм, у дрвеним корицама пресвученим кожом и украшеним репродукцијама заштитних и украсних ексера,кожних плетеница и металних копчи, у пуном колору на 360 страна.
Првих 30 нумерисаних примерака овог капиталног дела продаје се по ексклузивној цени од 3.850 US$ појединачним купцима, а 3.500 US$ православним црквама и библиотекама.
Издавачкој кући ECOLIBRI из Београда, ул.Синђелићава бр.7 поверена је ексклузивна продаја дела тиража овог издања са почетном нумерацијом од 006. до 020. од којих заинтересованим купцима у иностранству стоји одмах на располагању 5 за сада јединих укоричених примерака код повереника у Немачкој.

Сва обавештења о условима продаје, уплате и уручивања комплета могу се добити на тел/факс: +381-11-3442-975 у Београду или преко Е-мејл адресе: jangelus@eunet.yu
Ако је истинита стара латинска мудрост: Habent sua fata libelli, онда се она, без сумње, може односити на Мирослављево јеванђеље.

Cачувало се ово јеванђеље и у дугим вековима Османлијске окупације, када је рукопис припао библиотеци манастира Хиландара у који је ова драгоцена књига доспела не зна се тачно када. На питање постављено старим Хиландарцима да кажу од када је рукопис у манастиру одговор је лаконски гласио: одувек.
Иако је то речено сасвим неодређено и на основу древних предања, ипак, могућа је претпоставка да се то десило после Немањине абдикације 1195. године и његовог коначног одласка у Свету Гору.

Пре те судбоносне године за српску државу и саму династију Немањића, окончана је 1190. у Захумљу владавина немањиног брата Мирослава, чију област је за кратко време, све до свог одласка у Свету Гору, наследио Растко, најмлађи син рашког великог жупана.

Био је то још један корак ближе ка даљем повезивању Рашке и Зете, и, најзад, јачању утицаја византијске културе, у односу на романску традицију Зете. Иако су ови сусрети двеју културних зона били снажни, ипак, не може се оспорити да их средњовековна Србија прима, а њени владари свесни да на њиховом државном подручју настаје и посебна културна симбиоза истока и запада, што српској држави даје и једно јединствено обележје.
Владарски маузолеј манастир Студеница, представља свакако и најзначајнији архитектонски споменик насталих симбиоза, а јасни трагови оваквих схватања откривају се и касније, чак у раздобљу када се српска држава приближила и самом врхунцу свога политичког успона.

Таква је романо-готско-византијска симбиоза тријумфовала приликом изградње цркве манастира Дечана коју је градио фра Вита, фрањевац из Котора "краљева града".

С обзиром да Мирослављево јеванђеље стоји на самом почетку државног развоја и да је обележено богатством свог сликаног украса, сложеном језичком развијеношћу и разноликим предлошцима, не изненађује да је још у 19. веку изазвало научни интерес. Обично се узима да је међународну славистичку науку на Мирослављево јеванђеље упозорио руски научник Владимир Стасов у својој знаменитој књизи: Слaвјанскиј и васточиј орнамент па рукописим древњаво новаго времени . (Спб. 1887. на табли XIV и XV).

Он је у албуму на таблама XIV и XV објавио неколико иницијала и тако увео овај српски рукопис у међународну славистичку науку.

Отада, захваљујући изванредној вредности овог рукописа из краја XII века, непрестано, све до данас траје научно занимање за Мирослављево јеванђеље, а литература о њему непрестано се обнавља.

После Владимира Стасова, минијатуре из јеванђеља привукле су пажњу врсног познаваоца староруске уметности Федора Ивановича Буслајева, који се упустио у давање опште карактеристике српскога орнамента.
Истовремено Буслајев је први снажније подвукао западњачке елементе у осликавању јеванђеља, што је, разуме се, само ојачало све недоумице око његових илустрација, с обзиром на византијску основу којом је прожет добар део орнамента.

Разуме се да уметнички овако богат и сложен рукопис није могао избећи пажњи великог руског византолога Никодима Павловича Кондакова који је размишљања о минијатурама изнео у својој доторској тези:
Историја Византијскаго и иконографиј по минијатурам греческих рукописеј, објављеној 1876. године.

Међутим, сви ти судови о Мирослављевом Јеванђељу написани су на основу само делимичног познавања и проучавања овог споменика који се тада још увек чувао у библиотеци манастира Хиландара.

Велики преокрет у научном занимању за Мирослављево Јеванђеље наступило је 1897. године. Тада је у Бечу, у редакцији љубомира Стојановића, а новцем краља Александра I Обреновића објављено у техници хелиогравуре Мирослављево Јеванђеље и то комплетан рукопис.

А свега годину дана раније, краљ Александар I Обреновић посетио је Свету Гору, где се посебно задржао у манастиру Хиландару.

Том приликом, краљ је богато даривао манастир који је био у економски веома лошем стању. У знак захвалности, хиландарски монаси даривали су краљу Александру I рукопис Мирослављевог Јеванђеља и Хиландарску оснивачку повељу великог жупана Стефана Немање из 1196. године.

На тај начин, захваљујући овом за оно време раскошном факсимилном издању, Мирослављево Јеванђеље је са новим еланом постало предмет најразличитих научника, а литература о овом рукопису постигла је задивљујући обим.

С обзиром да је реч о првом српском писаном споменику, сасвим је разумљиво да се проблематиком Мирослављевог Јеванђеља нису бавили искључиво историчари уметности, а сликани украс овог рукописа, није могао да потисне и друга занимања, питање језика на првом месту.

У том правцу веома су значајна истраживања С. Куљбакина: Палеографска и језичка испитивања о Мирослављевом јеванђељу (посебна издања СКАН 1925. LII) и Александра Белића: Учешће св. Саве и његове школе у стварању нове редакције српских ћирилских споменика (Светосавски зборник СКАН, Београд 1936. I) и, најзад Ј. Вране: Лжевангелиаре де Мирослав (Ј. Гравенхаге 1961).

Међутим, од изузетног је значаја књига ученог теолога Лазара Мирковића: Мирослављево еванђеље (САН, посебна издања књ. CLVI, Археолошки институт, књига 1, Београд 1950).

У овој важној монографији, првој те врсте које је добило Мирослављево јеванђеље, Мирковић се са посебном пажњом упустио у разматрање порекла месецослова, утврђујући истовремено његово цариградско порекло које је српском преписивачу служило као предложак. Најзад, у својој књизи, Лазар Мирковић је детаљно анализирао удео преписивача и илуминатора Мирослављевог јеванђеља, осветљавајући новим закључцима и лик главног писара грешног Глигорија дијака и загонетног Варсамелеона. Истовремено, као сјајни иконограф, Мирковић је педантно и са сувереним знањем рашчлањавао симболику самих минијатура, сву фантастику у служби црквених тумачења. Од 28 животиња грчкога физиолога, од 27 животиња српскословенског физиолога (превод са грчкога), Мирослављево јеванђеље понавља из њих ових десет животиња: голуб, орао, лав, пантер, славуј, змија, јелен, паун, детлић и вук."
На челу рукописа насликао је минијатор византиску вињету, а даље у целом рукопису поред колумни српскословенских текстова унео је Запад са романских минијатура у иницијале Мирослављевог еванђеља већим делом своју фантастичну флору и фауну, своја монстра, која гризу, уједају и себе и друге животиње, као и стабла слова око којих су груписана, или се боре са људима, и мањим делом илустрацију текста у иницијал.

проблематиком Мирослављевог јеванђеља бавила се Јованка Максимовић. Максимовићева је уочила и неке идентичне мотиве јеванђеља са декоративном пластиком манастира Студенице, проширивши тако и сам репертоар ових међусобних утицаја.

Најзад, своја најважнија сазнања о српским средњовековним минијатурама, сабрала је Јованка Максимовић у својој монументалној књизи: "Српске средњовековне минијатуре", објављене у Београду 1983.

Од 1896. рукопис се чува у двору последњег Обреновића, после чије насилне смрти је неко време био загубљен.

Поново пронађен у двору, рукопис је сматран као најдрагоценија државна имовина, па је као таква евакуисана за време I светског рата.

После срећног повратка, рукопис је предат на чување Музеју кнеза Павла, одакле је 1941. склоњен и сакривен у унутрашњост Србије, најдуже у манастиру Рачи украј Дрине.

Како је за време окупације постојала опасност да се рукопис пронађе и изгуби, игуман манастира Раче, Платон, кришом га је послао у Београд, где је, са знањем управе Музеја кнеза Павла, похрањен у трезору Народне банке.

Честе промене места и различити услови његовог чувања, махом не примерени, изазвале су у рукопису промене, а ове довеле до оштећења минијатура.

Тада је рукопис поверен на лечење у конзерваторској радионици, Народне библиотеке, где је под надзором др Вере Радосављевић својевремено започета припрема за његову конзервацију.

Једна од заштитних мера за његово будуће одржавање свакако је и штампање овог факсимилног издања, у најмодернијој графичкој техници. Постигнута је изванредна сличност са оригиналом који ће се од сада чувати под посебним условима.

Saint George

Statue of Saint George in Tbilisi (Georgia)

Tomb of Saint George in Lob (Israel)

A commonly sung troparion in the Eastern Orthodox Church is the Hymn of St. George:
"Liberator of captives,
and defender of the poor,
physician of the sick,
and champion of kings,
O trophy-bearer,
and Great Martyr George,
intercede with Christ our God
that our souls be saved."
In Christian hagiography, Saint George (ca. 275-281–April 23, 303) was a soldier of the Roman Empire, from the then Greek-speaking Anatolia, now modern day Turkey, who was venerated as a Christian martyr.
Saint George is one of the most venerated saints in the Eastern Orthodox Church and Oriental Orthodox Churches.
Immortalized in the tale of George and the Dragon, he is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers.
There are no historical sources on Saint George.
The legend that follows is synthesized from early and late hagiographical sources - chief among these sources is the Golden Legend.
George was born to a Christian family during the late 3rd century. His father was from Cappadocia and served as an officer of the Roman army. His mother was from Lydda, Iudaea (now Lod, Israel). She returned to her native city as a widow along with her young son, where she provided him with an education.
The youth followed his father's example by joining the army soon after coming of age. He proved to be a good soldier and consequently rose through the military ranks of the time. George was stationed in Nicomedia as a member of the personal guard attached to Roman Emperor Diocletian.
According to the hagiography, in 303 Diocletian issued an edict authorizing the systematic persecution of Christians across the Empire. The emperor Galerius was supposedly responsible for this decision and would continue the persecution during his own reign (305–311). George was ordered to participate in the persecution but instead confessed to being a Christian himself and criticized the imperial decision. An enraged Diocletian ordered his torture and execution.
After various tortures, including laceration on a wheel of swords, George was executed by decapitation before Nicomedia's defensive wall on April 23, 303. A witness of his suffering convinced Empress Alexandra and Athanasius, a pagan priest, to become Christians as well, and so they joined George in martyrdom. His body was returned to Lydda for burial, where Christians soon came to honour him as a martyr.
A church built in Lydda during the reign of Constantine I (reigned 306–337), was consecrated to "a man of the highest distinction", according to the church history of Eusebius of Caesarea; the name of the patron was not disclosed, but later he was asserted to have been George. The church was destroyed in 1010. but was later rebuilt and dedicated to Saint George by the Crusaders. In 1191 and during the conflict known as the Third Crusade (1189–1192), the church was again destroyed by the forces of Saladin, Sultan of the Ayyubid dynasty (reigned 1171–1193). A new church was erected in 1872 and is still standing.
During the fourth century the veneration of George spread from Palestine to the rest of the Eastern Roman Empire.
By the fifth century the cult of Saint George had reached the Western Roman Empire as well: in 494, George was canonised as a saint by Pope Gelasius I, among those "whose names are justly reverenced among men, but whose acts are known only to God."
The episode of St George and the Dragon was a legend, brought back with the Crusaders and retold with the courtly appurtenances belonging to the genre of Romance (Loomis; Whatley). The earliest known depiction of the mytheme is from early eleventh-century Cappadocia (Whately), (in the iconography of the Eastern Orthodox Church, George had been depicted as a soldier since at least the seventh century); the earliest known surviving narrative text is an eleventh-century Georgian text (Whatley).
In the fully-developed Western version, a dragon makes its nest at the spring that provides water for the city of "Silene" (perhaps modern Cyrene) in Libya or the city of Lydda, depending on the source. Consequently, the citizens have to dislodge the dragon from its nest for a time, in order to collect water. To do so, each day they offer the dragon a human sacrifice. The victim is chosen by drawing lots. One day, this happened to be the princess. The monarch begs for her life with no result. She is offered to the dragon, but there appears the saint on his travels. He faces the dragon, slays it and rescues the princess. The grateful citizens abandon their ancestral paganism and convert to Christianity.
The parallels with Perseus and Andromeda are inescapable. In the allegorical reading, the dragon embodies a suppressed pagan cult. The story has roots that predate Christianity. Examples such as Sabazios, the sky father, who was usually depicted riding on horseback, and Zeus's defeat of Typhon the Titan in Greek mythology, along with examples from Germanic and Vedic traditions, have led a number of historians, such as Loomis, to suggest that George is a Christianized version of older deities in Indo-European culture.
St. George is most commonly depicted in early icons, mosaics and frescos wearing armor contemporary with the depiction, executed in gilding and silver color, intended to identify him as a Roman soldier. After the Fall of Constantinople and the association of St George with the crusades, he is more often portrayed mounted upon a white horse. At the same time St George began to be associated with St. Demetrius, another early soldier saint. When the two saints are portrayed together mounted upon horses, they may be likened to earthly manifestations of the archangels Michael and Gabriel. St George is always depicted in Eastern traditions upon a white horse and St. Demetrius on a red horse St George can also be identified in the act of spearing a dragon, unlike St Demetrius, who is sometimes shown spearing a human figure, understood to represent Maximian.
In 1969, Saint George's feast day was moved to an optional memorial in the Roman Catholic calendar; the solemnity of his commemoration depends on purely local observance. He is, however, still honored as a saint of major importance by the Eastern Orthodox Church and in Oriental Orthodoxy.
In 1963, in the Roman Catholic Church, St George was demoted to a third class minor saint and removed him from the Universal Calendar, with the proviso that he could be honored in local calendars. Pope John Paul II, in 2000, restored St George to the Calendar, and he appears in Missals as the English Patron Saint.
Saint George is the patron saint of the Palestinian Christians, who believe he lived in the areas around Bethlehem in his childhood. Christian Houses can be identified with a stone-engraved picture of the saint (known as Mar Girgius) in front of their homes for his protection.
Saint George is the patron saint of Beirut. The Saint George Bay in Beirut is believed to be the place where the dragon lived and where it was slain. In Lebanon, Saint George is believed to have cleaned off his spear at a massive rocky cave running into the hillside and overlooking the beautiful Jounieh Bay. Others argue it is at the Bay of Tabarja. The waters of both caves are believed to have miraculous powers for healing ailing children.
In Greece, St. George is the patron saint of the Hellenic Army.
In Italy, Saint George is one of the patron saints of Genoa.
There are numerous churches dedicated to St. George in India (especially in Kerala) practicing Oriental Orthodoxy and Eastern Catholicism. There are also countless shrines to St. George in Kerala, India.
St George is also known to be the patron saint of the Boy Scouts of America.
The Freemasons consider St. George one of their primary patron saints. The United Grand Lodge of England holds its annual festival on a day as near as possible to St. George's Day, and St. George is depicted on the ceiling of the Grand Lodge Temple on Great Queen Street, London. A number of Masonic lodges around the world bear the name of St. George.
There is a tradition in the Holy Land of Christians and Muslim going to an Eastern Orthodox shrine for St. George at Beith Jala, Jews also attending the site in the belief that the prophet Elijah was buried there. This is testified to by Elizabeth Finn in 1866, where she wrote, “St. George killed the dragon in this country [Palestine]; and the place is shown close to Beyroot. Many churches and convents are named after him. The church at Lydda is dedicated to St. George: so is a convent near Bethlehem, and another small one just opposite the Jaffa gate; and others beside. The Arabs believe that St. George can restore mad people to their senses.
It is singular that the Moslem Arabs share this veneration for St. George, and send their mad people to be cured by him, as well as the Christians. But they commonly call him El Khudder —The Green—according to their favorite manner of using epithets instead of names. Why he should be called green, however, I cannot tell—unless it is from the colour of his horse. Gray horses are called green in Arabic.”
A possible explanation for this colour reference is Al Khidr, the erstwhile tutor of Moses, gained his name from having sat in a barren desert, turning it into a lush green paradise. See above for the association of Al Khidder and St George.

145 godina Prvog Beogradskog Pevackog Drustva

OD SOLUNA DO BUDIMA GDE GOD SRPSKIH DUSA IMA
Preuzeto sa sajta 'Srpsko Nasledje'
Piše: SlađanaRistić
Hor Beogradskog pevačkog društva pevao je Bogu i svome rodu, a glas srpskog pevača čuo se nadaleko. Od Prvog beogradskog pevačkog društva, za istoriju srpske kulture možda su važnije samo dve institucije: Matica srpska i Narodni muzej. A možda u ovom trojstvu Društvo nije na trećem mestu. Jer, bez horovođa Prvog beogradskog pevačkog društva - Kornelija Stankovića, Josifa Marinkovića i Stevana Mokranjca - ne bi bilo srpske muzike. Tog univerzalnog, na svakom jeziku razumljivog zvučnog znaka našeg trajanja. Za koji napisaše kako su "ove melodije svojina i osobina duše srpskog naroda" i još kako "ti napevi, manje-više tužnog karaktera, nose obeležja žalosnog položaja i teške istorije naroda srpskog", znaka našeg trajanja koji će biti čak i ako nas više ne bude.
Da se srpska muzika razvija i srasta sa vremenom osetilo se u subotu, 14. februara 1998. godine, u zadužbini Ilije M Kolarca, na dan Svetog Trifuna kada je najstariji srpski hor - Prvo beogradsko pevačko društvo - proslavljalo 145 godina svog postojanja.
Te subotnje večeri uzdrhtao je duh pravoslavlja, gospodstva i kulture, narodne reči i zaboravljenih likova iz naše kulturne baštine.
Posle Matice srpske i Narodnog muzeja, Prvo beogradsko pevačko društvo je treća kulturna institucija u srpskom narodu. To potvrđuju i reči episkopa budimskog Danila:
"Što je patrijarh među vladikama, to je Prvo beogradsko pevačko društvo među horovima."
Hor je gotovo vek i po širom sveta prenosio i približavao narodu uzvišenost srpske duhovne i svetovne pesme.
Zaštitnici su mu bili Mihailo Obrenović i kasnije dinastija Karađorđević.
Hor je pevao na bogosluženjima, svetim liturgijama, najznačajnijim molitvenim i crkvenim skupovima u istoriji srpskog naroda: krunisanjima, venčavanjima članova kraljevske porodice, intronaciji srpskih patrijarha, hirotonisanju svih vladika i prilikom poseta pravoslavnih pogla-vara.
Osam gostiju Milana Milovuka
Priča počinje u jednoj beogradskoj kući, u stanu Milana Milovuka, 14. januara 1853, kada se sastalo devetoro ljudi: pet Srba i četiri stranca. Među strancima, kao treći za Milovukovim stolom, sedeo je čuveni Josif Šlezinger. Zajednička nit koja ih je spojila bila je naklonost prema muzici. Te večeri bio je prisutan i duh svetog Vasilija koji je dao nadahnuće ovim ljudima, tako da je od 1889. godine slava Prvog beogradskog društva i zvanično sveti Vasilije Veliki.
U početku je to muški hor koji peva kompozicije nemačkih i francuskih horova. Pevači su za vreme pevanja sedeli oko stola.
Kornelije Stanković zapisuje pesmu "Rado ide Srbin u vojnike"
Dolaskom u hor velikog srpskog umetnika i kompozitora, Kornelija Stankovića, kao i njegovog prijatelja slikara Steve Todorovića, razvija se muzika i pevanje sa narodnim obeležjem.
Po dolasku iz Karlovaca, Stanković se posvećuje beogradskom društvu.
Pošto su crkvene i narodne melodije bile pristupačne narodu, članovi hora dobijaju naklonost građanstva i viših krugova. Tada knez Mihailo Obrenović postaje njihov visoki pokrovitelj.
Izvesno vreme horom rukovodi Davorin Jenko, ali ne tako uspešno kao njegov prethodnik. Nekoliko puta odlaziće sa mesta horovođe i ponovo se vraćati.
U Beogradskom pevačkom društvu niču i prve klice za potonji rad u Narodnom pozorištu, u kome društvo kasnije vrlo često koncertuje. Društvo je bilo vezano za pozorište. Predsednik Pevačkog društva bio je ujedno i potpredsednik Pozorišnog odbora. Društvo je više puta pri-ređivalo koncerte u korist podizanja i održavanja pozorišta. Međutim, pozorišne Uprave nisu se uvek odazivale molbama Društva. Kad im je hor tražio salu za priređivanje koncerta u korist svoje kase, u danima kada pozorište ne radi, i ako su koncerti najjači izvor za podmirenje troškova Društva, ovi im nisu u potpunosti izlazili u susret.
Mokranjčeva nacionalna orijentacija, Šantić kao tekstopisac
Sve veća aktivnost članova hora daje podstrek mnogim našim autorima da nastave sa radom na kompoziciji za hor, sa narodnim, lirskim, prigodnim pesmama. 1875. godine u hor dolazi Stevan Mokranjac. Nastavlja pravac u komponovanju koji je započeo Kornelije Stanković, proširuje nacionalnu orijentaciju. Prilikom proslave pedesetogodišnjice Beogradskog pevačkog društva izveden je koncert koji je sastavio Stevan Mokranjac, a koji je obuhvatio razvoj srpske pesme i kompozicije do tada.
Tekst za himnu Društva napisao je pesnik Aleksa Šantić, na Mokranjčevu melodiju. Tekst je natopljen osećanjima pripadnosti veri i otadzbini. Šantić počinje svoju pesmu stihovima:

Zaigrajte, srca živa
Jednom željom roda svog!
Što Avala davno sniva
Neka blagi dade Bog:
Kao zvona Vaskrs-dana,
Koja vjerom dižu nas,
Da odjekne pro Balkana
Srpske slave burni glas.

Hor je pevao Bogu i svome rodu, a glas srpskih pevača se čuo nadaleko. Zahvaljujući njima osnovan je Savez srpskih pevačkih društava (1903), od njih je krenulo i osnivanje Jugoslovenskog pevačkog saveza (1924). Dve godine kasnije priredilo je Društvo prvu Južnoslovensku muzičku školu u Srbiji 1899. Direktor i pedagog bio je - Mokranjac.
To je današnja srednja muzička škola "Mokranjac" u Beogradu.
Hor mnogo putuje. Nemačka, Mađarska, Rusija... obilazi gradove; Solun, Moskva, Split, Zagreb, Mostar, Kotor, Dubrovnik... Posle turneje, kada su pevali pred ruskim carom i caricom i pred nemačkim carom i caricom, hor biva proglašen za najbolji u Evropi.
Hor obavlja svoju kulturnu i diplomatsku misiju.
Bugarski knez im se klanja.
Kad su otpevali tursku himnu sultanu (do tada se samo svirala), oduševljeni sultan je zatražio da pred njim otpevaju i srpsku himnu, odao im je počast a time se poklonio srpskoj muzici.
Njeno Visočanstvo, kraljica Natalija, poklanja Društvu zastavu sa širokom trobojnom trakom uokvirenu zlatnim resama i koncertni klavir, a knjaz Nikola na Cetinju nije prikrio svoje odu-ševljenje, te se rukuje sa svakim članom hora.
Hor je dobio mnoga odlikovanja (preko osamdeset) i ima nekoliko stotina počasnih članstava.
U to vreme stvaraju se i druga društva i horovi u svim gradovima Srbije od Vranja, Negotina, Kragujevca, Šapca... i u samom Beogradu: Društvo "Kornelije Stanković", jevrejsko, međunarodno.
Hor je značajno uticao na život cele Srbije, jer je održao mnoge dobrotvorne koncerte i priredbe u cilju pomaganja drugih društava, ustanova i pojedinaca, kao što je recimo koncert u korist bolnice siromašnih učenika (1865), u korist osnivanja Narodnog pozorišta u Beogradu (1868), za postradale u ratu (1877), u korist porodice preminulog pesnika Đure Jakšića (1879).
Važan je njihov nastup u Mokranjčevom Negotinu gde su pevali na otkrivanju spomenika Hajduk Veljku.
Društvo je uvek negovalo rodoljublje.
Sa srpskom trobojkom i kraljevim vencem
Značajna je njihova poseta Dubrovniku (1893), povodom otkrivanja spomenika velikom srpskom pesniku Ivanu Gunduliću. Narod ih je u Dubrovniku dočekao ushićen, sa divljenjem. Članovi hora bili su dostojanstveni, nosili su venac koji je bio obavijen trakom sa srpskim bojama. Predsednik dubrovačke opštine, starina Gundulić, kao Srbin i potomak velikog pesnika pozdravio se sa horom vidno uzbuđen. Od Gruže do Dubrovnika, sve je bilo puno ljudi - veličanstven prizor. Tada otpeva pevačko Društvo himnu Gunduliću uz burno odobravanje, a izaslanik i predstavnik Kraljevskog Srpskog Narodnog Pozorišta koji se popeo na pijedestal, htede da pročita "Gundulićev Zavet" - ali je bio sprečen. Nekolicina usplahirenih rekoše da se ne sme jer nije u programu, a u isti mah stvorio se žandar koji je zabranio da se išta govori i čita. Austougarskim žbirima zasmetalo je toliko robovanje u Dubrovniku.
"Društvo je pevalo na Vidovdanu u prostranoj našoj crkvi, u Dubrovniku, a bogosluženje drža gospodin Vladika kotorski i nekoliko sveštenika. Crkva i sve ulice oko crkve bile su preplavljene narodom...", seća se jedan iz ove Mokranjčeve ekspedicije.
Članovi hora putuju po celoj Evropi, ali hor i dalje peva u Sabornoj crkvi i dvorskoj kapeli. Vežbaju pevanje u prostorijama Saborne škole (danas škola Kralja Petra), gde su nekada bile crkvene kancelarije.
Posle M. Milovuka i K. Stankovića, Jenka i Mokranjca, treba spomenuti i druge kompozitore koji su pisali istoriju srpske horske muzike. To su: Josif Marinković, Stanislav Binički, Stevan Hristić, Miloje Milojević, Kosta Manojlović, Petar Konjović, Predrag Milošević...
Dirigent i kompozitor Kosta Manojlović nastavlja Stankovićev i Mokranjčev nacionalni pravac u muzici, proširuje muziku na jugoslovenstvo i na panslovenstvo. Hor prvi put peva kompozicije renesansnih autora.
Posle Koste Manojlovića hor je vodio Lovro Matačić.
U Budimpešti, 1937. godine, sa horovođom Predragom Miloševićem, Društvo osvaja prvu horsku nagradu. Evropske novine pisale su da je to jedan od najboljih horova tog vremena.
Cepanje horske zastave
Svojim slikama hor su darivali: Steva Todorović, Paja Jovanović, Nadežda Petrović.
Za vreme Prvog svetskog rata hor nije prestajao da peva.
Jedno vreme dirigovala je gospođa Sofija. Društvo je vežbalo u prostorijama Patrijaršije. Kada su nacisti napali Beograd iscepali su zastavu hora. To je pojačalo pravoslavni i patriotski duh ovog muzičkog društva.
Posle Drugog svetskog rata uslovi za oporavak Prvog beogradskog pevačkog društva nisu bili pogodni. Hor je nastavio da peva sa starim i ostarelim članovima u skučenim prostorijama Patrijaršije, i u Sabornoj crkvi, na Svetosav-skim proslavama...
Zlatno doba hora, između dva svetska rata, gde treba pomenuti osim Manojlovića, Stevana Hristića, M. Milojevića, Predraga Miloševića, Matačića, Ilića... bilo je prošlo.
Značajne korake u muzičkom usponu Društva predstavljaju dopune repertoara kompozicijama naših modernih kompozitora: Konjovića, Milojevića, Hristića i Bajića, kao i izvođenje vokalno instrumentalnih dela slovenskih i evropskih autora na najvišem svetskom nivou. Dvoržakovih oratorijuma "Stabat mater" "Svadbeni darovi", Perozijevog "Stradanja Hrista", Verdijevog "Rekvijema"...
Ponovo na velikoj sceni
Društvo je pevalo na proslavi 900 godina pravoslavlja u Rusiji, a 1988, hor gostuje, po pozivu ruske crkve, na proslavi 1000 godina pravoslavlja. Ako je Društvo bilo jedini strani hor na proslavi, onda se zna koliko ga Rusi cene i poštuju.
Pre nekoliko godina hor nastupa, posle duže pauze, u Negotinu gde se jedno vreme zaboravilo na ovaj divni hor, kao i na to da je klavir u Mokranjčevoj spomen kući vlasništvo Društva.
Poslednjih godina Društvo dobija svoje mesto u zvaničnoj kulturi, tako da je učesnik mnogih priredbi i značajnih kulturnih manifestacija. Učestvovali su na proslavi 800-godišnjice manastira Studenica, pevali su na osvećenju spaljenog konaka u pećkoj Patrijaršiji, u manastiru Ravanica...
Od 1981 - 1984. godine hor je bio pod upravom dirigenta Aleksandra Vujića. Pre njega bili su: Aleksandar Gavanski, Bogdan Cvejić, Luka Gavrilović, Dragomir Radivojević. Od 1984, kompozitor Vladimir Milosavljević, nastavlja tradiciju prethodnika. Milosavljević po završetku studija, odlazi nekoliko puta u Hilandar i onda se konačno posvećuje duhovnoj muzici i horu. Mnoge njegove kompozicije, kao što su "Psalm šesti", "Molitva Davidova", "Heruvimska pesma"... izvode sa uspehom i strani horovi. Njegovo dirigovanje je takvo da se on potpuno sjedinjuje sa pevačima, čak do skrušenosti, a onda do vapaja. Težnja ka muzikalnoj molitvi, odnosno molitvenom pevanju postaje težnja svakog pevača u horu.
Na Cetinju Društvo dočekuje mošti kralja Nikole. Jedini hor koji učestvuje.
Sveće i zvona srpskog Kotora
Prvo beogradsko pevačko društvo svakog leta posećuje manastir Reževiće u Crnoj Gori. i nastupa od Budve do Kotora.
Svakog leta u Reževićima dočekuje ih iguman Mardarije.
Hor je u stvari jedna velika porodica. Smenjuju se generacije, ali u njima se prenose duh pojanja i gospodstvo, što je osobenost hora.
U toj velikoj porodici, u manastiru Reževići, oni raspoređuju svoje uloge od rada do pevanja, preko večernjih beseda sa igumanom i mnogim gostima iz sveta umetnosti. Mnogi slikari i pesnici posećuju manastir za vreme gostovanja Društva - Reževići su tad pravi duhovni i kulturni centar. Možda i to doprinosi lepoti zvuka tih predivnih glasova, i toj otmenosti u pevanju.
U horu ima akademskih građana, kapetana, penzionisanih članova operskog hora, studenata Bogoslovskog fakulteta. Starosna dob je od 17 do 70 godina. Nekoliko njih iz jedne porodice sinovi, unuci.
Treba pomenuti i njihove sadašnje divne soliste: protođakona Vladu Mikića (bas), čuvenog operskog pevača Žarka Cvejića, Pavla Aksentijevića, Boška Došenovića, (tenor), Bosiljku Jovanović (sopran) i druge.
U Kotoru su imali koncert koji se pamti. Kotor je bio u potpunom mraku kada su usli članovi hora. Ali ni to nije omelo pevače i soliste da dođudo crkve Svetog Nikole. Narod ih je čekao. Zvona su zvonila pre koncerta, dok su pevači išli starim gradom. Zvona sa svih crkava. Bio je to veličanstven koncert za pamćenje, održan pod svećama.
Trajanje u zvuku
Na slavi Prvog beogradskog pevačkog društva, Svetog Vasilija, na srpsku Novu godinu, 14 januara, kada se slavlje priređuje u sali Patrijaršije, srpski patrijarh prisustvuje rezanju kolača. On je sada visoki zaštitnik i pokrovitelj Društva.
Društvo i dalje peva kompozicije "Dostojno jest", Kornelija Stankovića i "Svjati Bože", Stevana Hristića.
Imaju probe i sastanke u prostoru Patrijaršije. A taj prostor može mnogo da ispriča o istoriji ovog hora. Tu se nalaze stare fotografije sa turneja, knjige, pokloni, veliki klavir, slike Paje Jovanovića, knjiga sa imenima članova od 1853, veliki sto kao za vreme Milana Milovuka, izrezbarena klupa u duborezu i predivan srpski ćilim.
Društvo je pevalo u filmovima Emira Kusturice "Dom za vešanje" i "Arizona drim".
Ovaj hor ostavio je trag u istoriji Srbije, muzičke kulture, srpskog naroda, stvorio i sačuvao naše duhovno pojanje. Zato trajemo...
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Kralj Aleksandar Prvi Obrenović bio je visoki zaštitnik Beogradskog pevačkog društva još dok je bio kraljević. Duma Društva bila je njegova majka, kraljica Natalija, koja je društvu poklonila zastavu, zlatom vezenu, u Beču urađenu. Društvo je svom zaštitniku, Kraljeviću Aleksandru otpevalo specijalno pisanu kompoziciju Josifa Marinkovića, na tekst Matije Bana, i poklonilo mu gusle javorove "oružje kojim se srpsko ime već pet vekova bori protiv svojih krvnih neprijatelja"
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"Spomenica" izdate povodom pedesetogodišnjice Beogradskog pevačkog društva: Na diplomama Društva koje je izradio slikar Paja Jovanović, stoje dva natpisa "Davorje 1895" i "Kornelije Stanković 1896" u znak sećanja na dve pevačke družine koje se ujediniše u Društvo - redak primer bratskog, srpskog ujedinjenja!
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Prvi predsednici Beogradskog pevačkog društva. Kosta Cukić, kasniji ministar, u narodu poznat po "Cukićevom pravilu" za igranje preferansa, bio je jedan od devet osnivača Društva. Društvo je počelo sa nemačkim horskim kompozicijama, na nemačkom jeziku. Budući da su ga činili muzički solidno obrazovani i nadareni ljudi, uspešno je izvodilo i vrlo teške kompozicije. Tek dolaskom Kornelija Stankovića, tog muzičkog Vuka Karayi-ća, Društvo će dobiti nacionalna obeležja
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Prvo beogradsko pevačko društvo svojim basovima "kao ponor dubokim" izazivalo je za-vist nemačkih dirigenata. U Beču su srpsku duhovnu muziku smatrali "ako ne najboljom, a ono sigurno najiskrenijom duhovnom muzikom" tog vremena. Gostovanja Mokranjčevog hora u porobljenim srpskim zemljama izazivala su prave demonstracije srpskog patriotizma. Pevali su ruskom i nemačkom caru, a na smotri evropskih horova u Budimpešti osvojili su prvu nagradu i bili proglašeni najboljim horom Evrope. Pesmom ovog hora obeležen je jedan od važnih datuma srpske slobode - povlačenje Turaka iz srpskih gradova. Hor je pevao na krunisanjima, kraljevskim svadbama i opelima. NJegov horovođa, Davorin Jenko napisao je dve himne - slovenačku i srpsku. Horsku zastavu, zlatom i srebrom u Beču vezenu, poklon kraljice Natalije, iscepali su Nemci 1941. kad su kao osvajači ušli u zgradu beogradske Patrijaršije. Neke beogradske porodice, tradicionalno, davale su pevače za hor: deda, sin i unuk pevali su sa Prvim beogradskim društvom, na velike praz-nike, u beogradskoj Sabornoj crkvi. Tekstove horskih pesama pisali su Matija Ban, Aleksa Šantić... plakate im je crtao Paja Jovanović.
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Knjaz Crne Gore i Brda Nikola Prvi, bio je počasni član Društva, zajedno sa kneginjama Darinkom Danilović i Milenom Nikolinom. Hor je putovao na Cetinje - do Kotora brodom "Hungarija" iz Fijume (Rijeke) a zatim na kolima, mazgama i pešice, uz Kotorske strane do Cetinja - da bi održao koncert na rođendan prestolonaslednika. Neki članovi stigoše pešice tek na pola koncerta, no srećom "najbolji naši basovi stigoše na vreme". Koncert je počeo Knjazovom pesmom "Onam, onamo, za brda ona". Knjaz nije dozvoljavao da se peva na "bis" uprkos frenetičnim aplauzima jer su pevači bili preumorni, a lično je čestitao horovođi gospodinu Mokranjcu. Na prijemu u čast hora, Nikola je govorio o potrebi da se srpske zemlje ujedine, a na grudima je nosio srpski orden Belog orla prvog stepena
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Na Cveti 1867. Društvo je dočekalo lađu kojom se, iz Carigrada, vratio knez Mihailo Obrenović, donoseći sultanovu naredbu o predaji gradova Srbima. Tadašnji horovođa, Slovenac Davorin Jenko, komponovao je za tu priliku posebnu pesmu. "Ti samo vikni: Narod je snaga" I brat će bratu pasti na grud, I Srbin silom slomiće vraga, I biće Srbin slobodan svud"! Posle ubistva kneza Mihaila, u Topčideru, Društvo je na sprovodu pevalo opelo svom pomažućem članu. Knez Milan, ne odazva se molbi da preuzme Mihailovo mesto dobrotvora Društva, koje je u prvom članu svojih Pravila napisalo: "Cilj je pevačkoga društva da gaji i neguje srpsku i uopšte slovensku pesmu i svirku"
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Prve pesme "aromatično" pevane u Srbiji, bile su one koje je u svoje komade "umetnuo" Joakim Vujić, prikazujući ih, u Kragujevcu, za vlade Miloša Velikog. Pesme je komponovao Josif Šlezinger, koji je došao u Srbiju na knežev poziv, da postane prvi kapelnik, prve srpske vojne muzike. Uzgred, obučavao je mladiće u pesmi, upoznavao ih sa notnim sistemom i upražnjavao s njima pevanje skala. Od tih pevača - diletanata (reč "diletant" nije u sebi sadržala ništa loše, to je prosto "amater" i entuzijasta) sastavljen je hor koji će, 14. oktobra 1834. godine, na kneževskom balu pevati pesmu posvećenu Milošu. Bal je priređen u čast visokog ordena kojim je sultan Mahmud Drugi odlikovao Miloša Obrenovića. Pesma je počinjala stihovima:
"Sunce jarko serpskom sinu,Izobilno sipa zrake."
Stihove je spevao Dimitrije Isailović, a "melodiju i harmoniju dao je Šlezinger". A kako pišu "Serpske Novine", "glasovi su bili tako udesni da je čovek morao misliti kako je u sredi talijanskog teatra".
Ostalo je još zabeleženo, da je Šle-zinger, sastavio muziku za pozorišni komad "Marko i Arapin", Atanasija Niko-lića, što je tadašnji vladalac, knjaz Mihailo "bogatim darovima potsticao", 1841.
Godinu dana kasnije, u Pančevu, na glas je izašao oktet Nikole Đurkovića, iz Dalmacije, koji će godinu dana kasnije preći u Beograd, gde će postići lep uspeh pesmama "Ustaj, Srbine", "Ja sam Srbin, srpski sin". Zgrada takozvanog Starog zdanja, u Beogradu, gde je Đurković nastupao, izgorela je, pa je trupa napustila Beograd.
Tih dana, oduševljenje čaršije muzikom bilo je veliko: svud su se pevušile melodije iz Sterijinih drama, koje je sastavio kapelnik Šlezinger.
Đurković je posejao seme koje će isklijati u nekoliko beogradskih salona, gde se grupa muzički obdarene gospode stade sastajati, danas kod jednog, sutra kod drugog, pevanja radi. Nedostajao je samo dobar horovođa. I on se nađe dolaskom Milana Milovuka iz Vlaške. I Prvo beogradsko pevačko društvo sastaviše Milan Milovuk, Kosta Cukić, Đorđe Stanišić, Emilijan Josimović, Dimitrije Nešić, Avgust Cerman, Anton Šulc, Josip Šlezinger i Karlo Keliš.
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Slovenac Davorin Jenko, pisac slovenačke himne "Naprej zastave slave" bio je po obrazovanju pravnik, a muzičko obrazovanje stekao je u Beču, odakle je došao u Pančevo za horovođu, a u Beograd ga je doveo Kornelije Stanković. Jenko je bio oduševljen patriota, prepun panslovenskog duha. Karakter njegovih kompozicija vidi se već iz naslova: "Oštre se naše sablje", "Ustaj rode mili", "Hajd u vojnu", "Ustaj rajo", "Što ćutiš Srbine tužni". Zamerali su mu što, navodno, ne poznaje - kao Slovenac - dovoljno srpske pesme, pa u otadzbinske, srpske motive uvlači nemačke i italijanske teme
* * *
Milan Milovuk bio je prvi horovođa Društva. Rodio se u Pešti, završio gimnaziju i "ekonomske nauke". Po svršenom školovanju, otišao je u Vlašku, gde je bio ekonom velikih imanja Miše Anastasijevića, upamćenog po beogradskom Kapetan Mišinom zdanju. Milovuk je izvanredno svirao violinu, i pri Društvu je tada osnovana prva škola za violinu i čelo. Umro je kao direktor beogradske Realne gimnazije. Iz hora je otišao kad je, posle smrti Kornelija Stankovića, njegov prijatelj slikar Steva Todorović preuzeo direktorsku fotelju, što je značilo punu pobedu "narodnog pravca"
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U Banaćaninu Josifu Marinkoviću (rođen u Vranjevu, završio učiteljsku školu u Somboru) Društvo je dobilo školovanog muzičara - Marinković je u Pragu četiri godine učio školu za orgulje. Koncert u smederevskom hotelu "Kod lafa" koji je sastavljen od Marinkovićevih obrada srpskih narodnih pesama, sasvim je u pravcu koji je zacrtao Kornelije Stanković. A planirano gostovanje u Nišu otkazano je - iz opravdanih razloga, zbog rata
* * *
Kornelije Stanković je pet godina bio horovođa. Jedan od najautoritativnijih muzičkih kritičara tog vremena, Bečlija Cerner, pošto je bio na koncertu duhovne muzike Kornelija Stankovića, koji je finansirao u Beču patrijarh Rajačić, oduševljen je napisao: "Ove su melodije svojina i osobina srpskog naroda a da ih do sada niko nije dovodio u armoniju, kojeg se posla prihvatio g. Stanković, svršivši ga s umetnošću koja zaslužuje priznanje." Kad je video da na njegov koncert dolaze Cerner i čitavo društvo bečke muzičke elite - a ušli su slučajno, videvši skroman plakat - Kornelije Stanković toliko se uplašio, da mu je iz ruke ispala dirigentska palica, pa je koncert morao da počne ispočetka. Bila je to evropska promocija srpske duhovne muzike
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Stevan Mokranjac bio je horovođa, kraće vreme, još kao "diletant". Mokranjac se rodio u Negotinu, studirao je filozofiju, ali ga je muzika odvukla od studija. Zamenjivao je Jenka na mestu horovođe, u jednom od intermeca - Jenko je šest puta (!) napuštao posao i vraćao se u Društvo - kad je Društvo odlučilo da ga stipendira i pošalje u inostranstvo. Raspisom su pozvani svi srpski horovi da prirede po jedan koncert, a prihode da posvete Mokranjčevom daljem školovanju. Već prva njegova kompozicija, javno izvedena od Društva, po Mokranjčevom povratku iz inostranstva, "Jadna draga", doživela je izvanredan uspeh. Posle dužih lutanja Društvo je pronašlo i školovalo naslednika Korneliju Stankoviću. A gostovanje u Negotinu, gde je izvedena Mokranjčeva Šesta rukovet (Pesme o Hajduk Veljku) bilo je trijumfalno. Baš kao i veliko putešestvije za Dubrovnik, na otkrivanje spomenika Ivanu Gunduliću. Pod Mokranjčevim rukovodstvom Društvo je stalo u red najboljih svetskih horova svog vremena. "Basovi sa glasovima kao ponor dubokim", piše kritičar iz Lajpciga, "morali su probuditi zavist mnogog nemačkog dirigenta". Uz dodatak: "Bez sumnje je i prošlost naroda srpskog u vezi sa ozbiljnošću i setnošću u karakteru, koji preovlađuju u srpskim narodnim pesmama"
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SUKOBI NACIONALISTA I MUNDIJALISTA
Kornelije Stanković rodio se u Budimu 1831. Gimanziju je završavao u Aradu, Segedinu i Budimu. Zatim će otići u Beč, da se posveti izučavanju muzike. Prva značajnija kompozicija bila mu je "Liturđija u mešovitom zboru", koju je posvetio pančevačkoj opštini.
Susreti sa Vukom Karayićem, Brankom Radičevićem i Pavlom Šapčaninom, okrenuše njegovo stvara-laštvo "u narodnom duhu". Zapisivao je i komponovao narodnu muziku, od tih pesama neke su brzo stekle popularnost: Već iz gustog luga kupe se hajduci, Tavna noći tavna, Rado ide Srbin u vojnike. Kažu da je ove pesme pisao "onako kako bi mu ih koji od đaka pevao", u Karlovcima, gde ga je patrijarh Rajačić usrdno primio, dao mu svog najboljeg pevača zvanog "Popica", sa zadatkom "da stavi u note crkveno pojanje".
1856. uputio se iz Karlovaca u Srbiju, da obiđe "znatnija srpska mesta", u traganju za narodnim melodijama. U Beogradu, lepo su ga dočekali u Pevačkom društvu, ali nisu hteli učestvovati na njegovom koncertu, gde je neobičnom veštinom, na klaviru, izvodio varijacije na narodne pesme, koje je sam komponovao.
Tu je došlo do raskola u Društvu. Nekim članovima Stankovićeve kompozicije su se toliko svidele, da su odmah hteli u repertoar da uvrste srpske narodne pesme, no većina to odbije s obrazloženjem kako su to "pesmice prosto harmonisane".
Deo hora se odvoji i formira đačku pevačku družinu, od učenika Liceja i Gimnazije. U toj družini pevaće budući predsednici vlada, ministri, generali... I ovaj hor brzo postane popularan u čaršiji, a interes za Društvo "kosmopolitskog pravca u muzici" beše naglo opao.
Pa kad se Stanković vrati sa puta, i za stalno nastani u Beogradu, pobedi njegov "narodni pravac" - izabraše ga za horovođu, smenjujući "pučom" kosmopolitu Milovuka, u čemu glavnu ulogu odigraju mladići iz takozvanog "priugotovnog hora" (pripremnog hora, u kome se školovalo za veliki hor).
I kad se Kornelije Stanković razboleo, krenuvši da boljki leka potraži u inostranstvu, "Društvo je već bilo toliko srpsko, da su se stranci u njemu slabo osećali".
Kornelije Stanković umro je u Budimu, 1865.
Za horovođu dovedoše Slovenca Jenka, a predsednik će postati prijatelj Kornelijev, njegov čest saputnik i istomišljenik, Stevan Todorović, slikar.

Free Hugs & Sick Puppies (All The Same)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diccc7je8tg

Juan Mann is on http://www.myspace.com/freehugscampaign

Hug him back!

*

There's something in a simple hug that always warms the heart

It welcomes us back home and makes it easier to part.

A hug's a way to share the joy and sad times we go through,

Or just a way for friends to say they like you 'cause you're you.

A hug is an amazing thing -It's just the perfect way to show the love we're feeling

But can't find the words to say.

It's funny how a little hug makes everyone feel good

In every place and language, it's always understood.

And hugs don't need new equipment, special batteries or parts

Just open up your arms, and open up your hearts.

*

http://www.freehugscampaign.org/

www.sickpuppies.net

Smederevo - My Hometown

City HallPosition of the region in Serbia

Fortress Map
Walls

The church of Saint Virgin (XV century)

NAME
In Serbian, the city is known as Smederevo (Смедерево), in Latin as Semendria.
LOCATION
Smederevo (Смедерево) is a city and municipality in Serbia on the Danube River at 44.67° North, 20.93° East.
DEMOGRAPHICS
In 2002. the city had a total population of 77,808, and the surrounding municipality had a population of 109,809.
Ethnic groups:
104 222 Serbs
1 801 Roma
533 Montenegrins
354 Macedonians
296 Yugoslavs
198 Croats
144 Hungarians ...
HISTORY
Serbian prince Đurađ Branković built the Smederevo fortresss in 1430. as new Serbian capital.
Smederevo was the residence of Branković and the capital of Serbia from 1430. until 1439, when it was conquered by the Ottoman Empire after a two months siege.
In 1444. according to the Peace of Szeged between the Kingdom of Hungary and the Ottoman Empire the Sultan gave back Smederevo to Đurađ Branković, the ally of John Hunyadi.
After Hunyadi broke the peace treaty Đurađ Branković remained neutral.
Serbia became a battleground territory between Kingdom of Hungary and the Ottomans so the angry Branković captured Hunyadi after his defeat at the Second Battle of Kosovo in 1448. Hunyadi was imprisoned in Smederevo fortress for a short time.
In 1454. Sultan Mehmed II sieged Smederevo and devastated Serbia.
In 1459. Smederevo was captured by the Ottomans after the death of Branković. The town became a Turkish border-fortress, and played an important part in Hungarian-Ottoman wars until 1526.
In autumn 1476. a joint army of Hungarians and Serbs tried to capture the fortress from the Ottomans. They built three wood counter-fortresses, but after months of siege Sultan Mehmed II himself came to drive them away. After fierce fighting the Hungarians agreed to march off.
In 1494. Pál Kinizsi tried to capture Smederevo from the Ottomans but he was stricken with palsy and died.
In 1512. John Zápolya sieged unsuccessfully the town.
During the First Serbian uprising in 1806, the city became a temporary capital of Serbia, as well as the seat of Praviteljstvujušči sovjet, a government headed by Dositej Obradović.
During World War II, the city was occupied by German forces. On June 5, 1941. a catastrophic explosion of German ammunition arsenal severely damaged the fortress and killed thousands of people in the city.

Dominating the Danube, its medieval fortress imposes a respect by its dimensions and by its history.
Smederevo medieval fortress on the Danube downstream from Belgrade, built between 1428 and 1430 during the reign of Despot Djuradj Brankovic, the last of medieval Serbia's rulers. was the most significant and still is the largest castle on the Danube.
It was a bastion separating the inner fortress from the outer walls bears a large brickwork cross, and still very well preserved inscription mentioning constraction date as 1430.
Smederevo's medieval fortress exchanged hands several times during the Austro-Turkish wars of the 17th and 18th centuries.
The fortress was the seat of the Turkish administrator for Serbia until when he moved to Belgrade.
It was also the seat of the Legislative Council before the council was transferred to Belgrade.
Smederevo has been known in the Serbian history as the capital of the kingdom of Serbia and its history has been intimately mixed to that of the fortress.
In 1427 despot Djuradj Brankovic thrown out of Belgrade by Hungarians and threatened by Turks from the South decided to establish here the capital of Serbia.
To defend the capital, the Serbian despot had erected 1429-1430 one of the largest fortresses in the Balkans.
But, by taking the fortress by Sultan Mehmed 1459, not only had the town lost of its importance, but this tragedy signified the end of the Serbian medieval State.
The Austrians had conquered it three times in the XVIII century, but had been compelled to cede it to Turks.
The Serbian rebels under Karadjordje Petrovic conquered it on November 8th 1808, and Smederevo became the centre of the First Serbian Insurrection in 1867 Turks had definitively left the town.
Smederevo fortress suffered severe damage to its towers and walls during the World War II after explosion on June 5th 1941 in the German ammunition depot having 3500 dead.
In 1944 the American bombing had destroyed a part of the town.

The fortress construction design has been of a triangle having the sides of 400 and 500 meters. The East and the West sides have been protected by the Danube and the Jezava. But one should imagine the South trench doubled by an artificial trench from end to end.
The barrage and two square towers in the South and in the East, and the cylindrical towers in the West.
In the trench of the fortified place a great plateau contained the garrison.
To the right you can reach the core royal parts - in this reduced North-East angle of the fortress one may notice the donjon, and climb with difficulty up the stairs on the guard had to pass. This place had been the residence of Djuradj Brankovic in XV century with reception hall with a secret door allowing the communication with the outside.

CHURCH SAINT GEORGE - On the central square, surrounded by pedestrian streets, very animated in summer time, there has been erected the church Saint George with its two belfries. It was built in the very center of the new town in 1854. On a brilliant baroque style visible by the utilisation of bronze for the roof and the yellow colour for the façade, St. George is another emblematic monument of the town.
THE CHURCH OF SAINT VIRGIN (THE CHURCH OF ASSUMPTION) - At the cemetery of Smederevo, a little church of an ancient monastery founded in the XV century may still be seen. By its design with three connected apsides and made of the brick and the stone, this church has been attached to the School of Morava. On the inside a few wall paintings from XVII century representing the cycle of the Christ’s’ life and the David’s psalms.
THE DISTRICT GOVERNMENT BUILDING, now the District Court, was built in 1886-88.
THE ROYAL RESIDENCE OF OBRENOVIC - few kilometres downstream on the Danube bank is “Zlatni Breg”, the summer residence of dynasty of Obrenovic. Constructed by Milos Obrenovic in the middle of XIX century. Of the neo-classical style, Zlatni Breg has been constituted of two square wings and one very academic passage. The gate of the prince and the dominating white colour are giving it a certain majesty. The residence has been surrounded by a vineyard of 30 hectares installed and maintained by Milan, the son of Milos Obrenovic. Around the castle the cycling pathway has been offering a nice view of the Danube.

An iron melting complex of Sartid was bought by the American giant of US Steel (2001), while the port installations had been sold to an Austrian company.

( * * * )
Na 1116. kilometru toka Dunava nalazi se Smederevo, srednjovekovna prestonica Srbije, grad istorije, grožđa i poznatog vina smederevka.
Smederevo se nalazi na južnom obodu Panonskog basena, 46 km od Beograda. Sa severa je oivičeno Dunavom, a sa istoka Velikom Moravom.
Autoput E 75 prolazi u dužini od 30 km kroz opštinu.
Naselje na mestu današnjeg Smedereva prvi put se pominje u povelji vizantijskog cara Vasilija 1019. godine.
U našim izvorima pod svojim imenom prvi put se pominje 1381. u Ravaničkoj povelji.
Smederevska tvrđava građena je u 15. veku, za vreme despota Đurđa Brankovića kao srpska prestonica, na površini od 10,5 hektara, oblika nepravilnog trougla sa 25 kula.
Sve muke i nevolje oko gradnje Smederevske tvrđave, a posebno veliki kuluci, pripisivani su despotovoj ženi Jerini. Narod je, misleći da se tvrđava gradi po njenoj želji, nju nazvao prokletom Jerinom.
U Smederevu je Vila Zlatni breg iz 1831. godine, letnjikovac Miloša Obrenovića osnivača kraljevske dinastije Obrenović, koji je tu zasadio 36 hektara vinograda.
Istorijske znamenitosti:
(*) Rimski bunar
(*) ostaci rimskog utvrdjenja Kulič
(*) crkvu Svetog Djordja (1849-1854.)
(*) Karadjordjev dud, pod kojim su Turci 1805. godine predali ključeve grada Karadjordju.
Jugovo se nalazi 4 km uzvodno od Smedereva i predstavlja izletnički kompleks.
Izletišta u okolini Smedereva:
(*) Lunjevačka šuma
(*) Šalinački lug, jedinstven hrastov lug posebno interesantan za botaničare i ekologe
(*) Drugovačko i Šalinačko jezero

The National Library of Smederevo is located in the left wing of The Cultural Center of Smederevo, which was designed especially for librarian activities.

It takes 1,945m2 of space.
The Library holdings total around 220,000 volumes of printed materials.

Five reading rooms with 146 seats are waiting for visitors every day except Sunday.

Average number of registered members is 10,000 per year, and 600-800 people use Library services every day.
In 1994 The National Library of Smederevo was appointed as home library for 74 local libraries of The Danube District.

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Stari naziv za Smederevo je Semendrija, i znaci "krajnja vrata" zbog geografskog polozaja grada. Prvi pomen Semendrije je zabelezen u III veku p.n.e. U vreme Rimske imperije postojala su dva naselja zapadno od grada Vincea (Cirilovac) i Mons Aureus (Zlatno brdo). Naiziv Smederevo prvi put se pominje u Ravanickoj povelji 1381. Za vreme cara Proba Smederevski kraj je postao centar za gajenje vinove loze.
Smederevski grad je bio jedan od najvecih srednjevekovnih tvrdjava u Evropi. Podigao ga je Despot Djuradj Brankovic, poslednji znacajniji vladar na srpskom prestolu, i po njegovoj odluci postaje prestonica srednjevekovne Srbije. Posle smrti Stefana Lazarevica, despot nije mogao ostati u Beogradu, pa je sagradio novu prestonicu - Smederevo. Despot Djuradj Brankovic kao poslednju odbranu, sazidao je tvrdjavu, na uscu Jezave u Dunav. Jezgro tvrdjave je tzv. Mali grad (sazidan u periodu od 1428 do 1430 u obliku nepravilnog trougla). Uvidevsi da je grad pretesan da zastiti dvor despot je za desetak godina uspeo da sazida i Veliki grad, zadrzavsi oblik nepravilnog trougla. Mali grad je imao 6 kula, a veliki jos 19 kula. Opkoljen Dunavom, s jedne strane, Jezavom s druge, i sirokim vodenim rovom izgledao je neosvojiv.

Despot je pokusao cak i rodbinskim vezama da sacuva grad i granice svoje drzave od osvajanja. Devet godina po zidanju grada pocinju napadi Turaka na grad. Grad je odolevao sve do smrti despota 1459. godine kada ga Tuci osvajaju. Padom Smedereva prestaje da postoji srednjevekovna srpska drzava.
Novembra 1805. Karadjordje oslobadja Smederevo i Muhamed Gusa predaje kljuceve grada ispod stoletnog duda. Za vreme I svetskog rata Austijanci bombarduju grad nanoseci mu teska ostecenja. U II svetsom ratu grad je doziveo novo razaranje velikom eksplozijom municije 5. juna 1941. , a pred kraj rata engleski bombarderi dovrsavaju rusenje tvrdjave. Tako je Smederevski grad od najlepseg i najocuvanijeg srednjevekovnog grada ostao do danasnjih dana jedan od najruiniranijih gradova.

Utvrdjeni Gradovi

21 utvrdjeni grad u Srbiji.

Arheologija

T R A C A N S K A Z L A T N A M A S K A
Bugarski arheolozi pronašli su 2.400 godina staru zlatnu masku u tračkoj grobnici na jugoistoku te zemlje, prenele su svetske agencije.
Masku je proteklog vikenda pronašao arheološki tim koji je radio na iskopavanjima nedaleko od mesta Sliven.
Arheolozi veruju da je u grobnici sahranjen trački kralj.
Pored maske, u grobnici je pronađen zlatan prsten sa natpisom na grčkom jeziku i urezanom slikom bradatog muškarca, srebrna čaša u obliku roga, srebrne i bronzane posude, grnčarija i zagrobni pokloni.
Artefakti su pripadali tračkom vladaru sa kraja 4. veka pre nove ere koji je ovde sahranjen.
Tračani su bili na jednakom nivou razvoja kao antički Grci.
Taj narod živeo je u današnjoj Bugarskoj i delovima moderne Grčke, Rumunije, Makedonije i Turske između 4000. pre nove ere i 8. veka nove ere, kada su ih asimilovali slovenski zavojevači.
Desetine tračkih grobnica nalaze se u centralnom delu Bugarske, kojeg su arheolozi nazvali „bugarskom dolinom kraljeva”, po uzoru na Dolinu kraljeva kraj Luksora u Egiptu, u kojoj se nalaze grobnice egipatskih faraona.
K I N E S K E S T A T U E R A T N I K A
Originalne statue ratnika zakopane su pre oko 2.200 godina da čuvaju grob Ćin Šihuanga, cara koji je stvorio prvu ujedinjenu kinesku državu osvojivši rivalska kraljevstva.
Ćin je uspostavio jedinstveno pismo, ujednačio mere, novac i zakonski sistem i sagradio široku mrežu puteva i kanala.
Posle smrti 210. godine pre nove ere, sahranjen je u mauzoleju veličine grada izvan Sijana. Grobnica je otkrivena 1974. kad su seljaci kopali bunar, i vremenom je postala jedna od najzanimljivijih turističkih destinacija u Kini.

Karni Mata Temple

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACzWdSfZXmw

Karni Mata Temple, 30 miles south of Bikaner in the small village of Deshnoke is one of the strangest holy spots in India.
The entrance, featured, is lavishly decorated with beautifully sculptured marble paneling full of intricate patterns, and delicately worked doorways, colonnades, pavilions and balconies.
Thousands of rats dine with people and scamper over their feet - in India's small northwestern city of Deshnoke, this is a place of worship: Rajastan's famous Karni Mata Temple.
This isolated Hindu temple was constructed by Maharaja Ganga Singh in the early 1900s as a tribute to the rat goddess, Karni Mata.
The most intriguing aspect of the interior is about 20,000 rats that call this temple home. These holy animals are called kabbas.
The legend goes that Karni Mata, matriarch from the 14th century, was an incarnation of Durga, the goddess of power and victory. Goddess Durga is synonymous with Shakti, the cosmic power that wages an eternal war against the evil. Shri Karni-Mata once restored a dead child of her devotee back to life from Yama, the God of death, then Mata announced that no one from her tribe would fall into Yama's hands again. Instead, when they die all of them will temporarily inhabit the body of a rat (Kabba), before being reborn into the tribe.
The whole life of Shri Karni Mata was full of miracles and even after her disappearance from the earth, her innumerable devotees have experienced her merciful blessings. The word disappearance has been used, because it wasn’t a natural death of Shri Karni Mata, rather her human body disappeared in divine light at her desire.
In Hinduism, death marks the end of one chapter and the beginning of a new one on the path to a soul's eventual oneness with the universe. This cycle of transmigration is known as samsara and is precisely why Karni Mata's rats are treated like royalty.
In Hinduism, many deities take animals forms. The main theological point is that there's no dividing line between what forms gods or goddesses can use: they can take form as a fish, a bird, or even a rat.
Shri Karni Mata was born on Friday, Ashwin Shukla Saptami 1444 i.e. October 2, 1387 AD in village Suwap near Phalodi in Jodhpur District, Rajasthan. She belonged to Charan caste. Her father was Mehaji and Deval Bai was her mother.At the time of birth Karni Mata was named “Ridhu Bai”. She was the sixth child of her parents. All the five children born before her were females. A night before her delivery, Deval Bai (Ridhu Bai’s mother), dreamt that a Goddess appears and blesses her with the words that the Goddess will be born to Deval Bai, as an incarnation of Goddess Durga. Deval Bai told her dream to everyone, but all the members of her family took it lightly. After the birth of Ridhu Bai, her aunt (sister of her father) being much disappointed, patted the head of Ridhu Bai with her hand and then with a fist said, “Again a stone has come”. To the astonishment of everyone, her fingers momentarily got stuck to each other. Later on, after few years her aunt came to see her from her-in-laws’ house. One day her aunt was combing Ridhu Bai’s hair with one hand. Ridhu Bai asked her the reason for not using the other hand. Her aunt told her the story of how her hand got defected. Ridhu Bai took her defective hand in her own hand and said “Where is the defect, it is all right”, and surprisingly, her hand got cured in a moment. Influenced by this miracle and recalling the past dream of Deval Bai, her aunt there and then renamed Ridhu Bai, “KARNI” (Meaning- She will do something miraculous on the earth). When Karniji was six years old a snake bit her father in the jungle. She put her hands on the effected limb and removed the poison. . Meantime, the stories of the miracles of Karniji had begun to spread far and wide. Rao Sekha of Pugal also heard about her. He wanted to take revenge on his enemy. So he went to Karniji to seek her blessings for victory. Rao Sekha met Karniji on the way while she was taking meal for her father towards the field. He begged for her blessings. Karniji welcomed him and asked him to visit her house. Sekhaji begged her pardon, due to paucity of time at his disposal and desired to leave, but Karniji would not let the guest go without having the meal. She offered him food, which she was taking for her father. Sekhaji knew that the food was not enough to be served to his army accompanying him. He therefore asked his men, to accept whatever she served and not to ask for more. Abiding by his orders, they forwarded their utensils to be served and Karniji served the breads and the curd from her pot one by one to every soldier. When she went from one soldier to other, her pot never emptied of curd and breads. Seeing this miracle all the soldiers were amazed. Rao Sekha achieved victory over his enemy and none of his soldiers died, except one, who did not eat the breads and curd treating it as a bad omen. By this time Karniji became over aged & her parents became anxious for her marriage. Seeing her parents anxious & worried, Karniji herself suggested her father to go to village Sathika and talk on her marriage with Depaji, son of Rao Kelu- a great Philosopher of that area during that time. According to history, the marriage took place in 1416 AD, in a quite simple manner. The groom Depaji went to Karniji’s doli (palanquin) and raised its curtains to thank her. He was amazed to see that, inside was a Goddess sitting beside a lion. After a few seconds Karniji transformed herself into human body. She told her husband to marry her sister Gulab Bai, mentioning that she was born on the earth only to serve people. . On the way to Sathika there was a village named Kaluja. The villagers already aware of her miracles requested her to solve their water problem. She blessed and told them to put her idol made of clay in the well and abstain from cutting trees. Soon the well was found to be full of water and still exists. Today this well is known as “Shri Karnisagar”.
Karniji lived at her-in-laws’ village for two years only. In 1418 AD, she left “Sathika” due to unnecessary disputes with the villagers. Being unhappy, she left for another place with all the members of her family and herd of cows. She decided to camp only at the place where she would reach at sunset. In the midst of journey, Karniji reached village Jangloo. There was only one well in the village and cows of Karniji were thirsty. The servants of Rao Kanha, ruler of Jangloo forbade her to draw water from the well because of its scarcity. Karniji did not care of their opposition and told Rao Ridmal of Chandasar, who was accompanying her, to draw water with the help of his horses. To the amazement of all the people, sufficient water was drawn to meet the requirements. Karniji there and then declared Rao Ridmal ruler of that area. She then resumed her journey and by the time of sunset she reached near the jungle of Deshnoke. Now again an issue of dispute arose between Karniji and the servants of Rao Kanha as the area fell under him. Karniji once again, did not care of his servants’ opposition. The servants complained to Rao Kanha. He asked two of his officers to get the jungle vacated. Karniji tried her best to pacify the officers, but the officers during their conversation with her, went beyond the limits of courtesy and insulted her. Being offended by their insulting behaviour she cursed them that their mouths will be like that of a jackal. Immediately their faces turned into that of a jackal. They returned to Rao and after listening to the story narrated by his men, he thought Karniji to be a wizard. He himself along with his army went to her, abused her and asked her to vacate the jungle immediately. Karniji, peacefully told him that, “I have come here with the blessings of Goddess Awad Mata. The image of Goddess is lying in that wooden box, if you put the box in my chariot, I will go away from here at once”. All the men of Rao tried to lift the box individually as well as collectively but couldn’t succeed. At last Rao Kanha himself tried to do so with the help of elephants but failed. During the attempts to lift the box one of the stands of the box broke. Karniji immediately remarked that, Rao Kanha had completed his life span. Rao Kanha being prejudiced, as she had declared Rao Ridmal, the ruler of that area, thought her to be a wizard. He asked her to foretell his death. Karniji drew a line on the ground at a certain distance and told him that, as soon as he oversteps and crosses the line he will die. Indeed the Rao died no sooner than he crossed the line. This Box of Karni Mata containing the idol of Goddess Awad Mata (whom Karniji worshiped during her lifetime) is presently situated in Temre Rai Temple in the middle of Deshnoke city. Karniji made her permanent residence in the jungle near Deshnoke, at a place which is now known as “Nehriji”. When she began to reside at Nehriji, she marked certain areas around that place upto two kilometres in radius. She then planted bushes of red berries all around. These green bushes on one hand served as fodder for the cattle and on the other presented fine natural scenery.
In order to churn the curd a supporting stick was required to be tied-up with the iron ring. A rope was required to rotate the apparatus called “Zerna” which is a long stick of wood, having three to four prongs at its lower end, to churn the curd. This stick is called “Nedi”. For this purpose, Karniji planted the stem of a tree to churn the curd. This Nedi stick in the long run became the tree of Khejri since drops of curd fell on the stick in the course of churning. This Khejri tree, which is presently inside the Nehriji Temple surprisingly, contains the marks of curd visible on its bark
While residing at Nehriji, one day while she was milking her cows, she saved the ship of Jagdooshaha, her devotee by spreading one of her arms. Amazingly, her arm got wet with seawater, which in order to dry, she put under the layer of soil. At present, as a result of her then taken action, the first layer of Deshnoke soil contains saline water like seawater. Besides this she blessed her devotees with many miraculous deeds.
In 1443 AD her father-in law Keluji died. Thereafter she went to Deshnoke where her husband Depaji died in 1454 AD. In Deshnoke she built a hut shaped cave by putting stones on one another, without using lime or sand. Its roof was made of Zal tree wood. She used the cave for meditation. Most of her time was spent in it. In 1463 AD one of her stepsons named Laxmanraj went to Kolayat fair where he drowned in a lake and died. His dead body was brought to Deshnoke. His mother Gulab Bai prayed to Karniji to grant his life. Karniji ordered to keep the body inside the cave. She closed its entrance for everyone and remained there for three days. On the fourth day Laxmanraj himself came out of the cave. Since then, the rats, known as “Kabas” started to be born in the Deshnoke temple. There is a saying as per poems composed by poets from time to time, that when Karniji brought Laxmanraj from Yama’s abode, she forbade Yama’s role in generation of her Depawat (falls under Charan Caste) and made her own law that any Depawat after death will be born as Kaba and Kaba would rebirth as Depawat. That is why the Kabas in Deshnoke temple are fully protected and cherished like her sons.

Inside teh Temple, where shoes are not permitted, tourists and worshippers alike hope to have rats run across their feet for good luck.
Eating food or drinking water that previously has been sampled by a rat is considered to be a supreme blessing. But there is one rare blessing that draws the most attention: the sighting of a white rat.
Out of all of the thousands of rats in the temple, there are said to be four or five white rats, which are considered to be especially holy. They are believed be the manifestations of Karni Mata herself and her kin. Sighting them is a special charm, and visitors put in extensive efforts to bring them forth, offering prasad - candylike food.
In this temple the rat residents are treated with sincere devotion.
For an animal that is commonly associated with pestilence and disease, it may seem strange, but during the century of this temple's existence, there has never been an outbreak of plague or other ratborne illness among the humans who have visited—which may be a miracle in itself.
When the killer disease plague spread out in Surat (Gudjarat) in mid 90's, people from Surat and other affected areas went to the temple to take the milk and water drunk drunk by these rats as medicine to get themselves cured.
Amazing about these Kabba's is that, despite being innumerable in number, they never come out of the Temple's boundaries. Miraculous fact is that no disease related to rats have been found till date, neither the temple stings of foul smells, nor it's dirty.
Offerings like milk, sweets, cereals, water and nuts are first offered to those holy kabbas, and then distributed among the devotees, and consumed by them as a holy prasad. Especially the water which these kabbas drink is considered holy.
There has been no trace of how these kabbas are reproduced - there has never been a trace of baby rats - all the kabbas are of a standard size and weight withou any significant change down the ages.
This miraculous Temple is looked after by a special caste called "Charan".
The Charans are the real heirs of Shri Karni-Mata since last 500 years. Sri Karni-Mata was married to Depaji in the year 1401. (per English calendar). Her mother's name was Dewal Bai and father's name was Meha Ji. She was born in a very ordinary family. Since she was the reincarnation of Durga, Shri Karnima advised her husband to marry Gulab Bai, her younger sister, to give him a heir. Depaji and Gulab Bai had 4 sons named: Naga, Puna, Shitha and Lakhan.
The first foundation stone of Jodhpur Fort in 1515. (per Hindi calendar) was kept by Sri Karni Mata herself.
Shri Karni museum is located opposite to the Temple - big hall 52x36 ft.
In 5th century Shree Karni Mata was the one who forced the King to stop the "NAVROJA" (The exploitation of women by the Mughal Emperors)In Hindu mythology the rat is considered the vehicle of Lord Ganesh, son of Durga.
The power of the Karni Mata can't be described by anyone in the whole universe, it can be experienced only by one oneself.

S E R B S

Serbs (blue) in Yugoslavia according to the 1981 census data.

(-) First appearance of serbian name is in Rig Veda - ancient religious sanskrit text (3000-1500 b.c.) in book VIII., 32., 2.:
"Strong God, he slew Anarsani, Srbinda, Pipru, and the friend, Ahisuva, and loosed the floods." From all the European peoples the Serbs are the only race from the construction of the wording of their name, according to the Austrian sanskritologist Walter Wust who are composed in the Vedic hymns as the characteristic SRBINDA, in which almost letter to letter is identical to the modern form SRBENDA used by Balkan Serbs.
In the Vedic manuscripts, Wust interprets, SRBINDA as its own original to say patented name with a predetermined meaning. Which is in complete harmony to thinking of today’s SRBENDA expression in Serbs, because Srbenda is always the best, the most respected, most brave, the greatest for respecting tradition: in short a man who is used and shown as an example to others. Srbin(da) in the Serbian language means Serb. Srbinda in Rig Veda represents mythological being or more likely the Prince of Serbs.
(-) Some believe that the name is of Sarmatian/Iranian origin. From which particular word it derives is unclear. However, one theory suggests it derives from the word "Sarv" which means "cypress" tree.
(-) others argue that all Slavs originally called themselves Serbs, and that Serbs (and Sorbs) are simply the last Slavs who retained the name.
(-) some believe that the name comes from srkati, meaning "to suck in", referring to people so closely united as if they share mother's milk.
Ethnic location:
South-East Europe - central and western part of the Balkan Peninsula
Religion: Eastern Orthodox Christians
The eventful Serbian history, full of wars, occupations and migrations that ensued from them, influenced strongly the location and migrations of Serbs.
They live in the republics of Serbia and Montenegro, in the Serbian Republic in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Until the exodus of August 1995, they also lived in the Republic of Serbian Krajina in Croatia.
The population consists of
16,282,000 people,
8,500,000 living in the above-mentioned ethnic locations,
1,782,000 in the republics of former Yugoslavia,
60,000 in neighboring countries,
882,000 in other European countries,
720,000 in North America,
and about 170,000 in other parts of the world.
Abroad, Vienna is said to be home to the largest Serb population followed by Chicago with Toronto and Southern Ontario coming in third. Los Angeles is known to have a sizable Serbian community, but so does Istanbul and Paris. The number of Serbs in the diaspora is unknown but is estimated to be between 1 and 2 million on one side, and up to 4 million according to Ministry for Diaspora Republic of Serbia.
The maximum number of Serbs thus ranges anywhere from around 9.5 to 16 million, depending on the estimation used for the diaspora.
Smaller numbers of Serbs live in New Zealand, and Serbian communities in South America (Argentina, Bolivia, Braziland, Chile) are reported to grow and exist to this day.
Language
Serbs speak Serbian language.
Old Slavs had a special kind of literacy, but when they reached the Balkan Peninsula, they developed (under the influence of Christianity and the Greek alphabet) a particular Slavonic literacy (from 863) with a special alphabet (glagoljica).
From the 10th century it was perfected and became known as Cirilica (cyrillic alphabet).
First documents written in Old Slavonic date from the 9th and 10th centuries, and those in Serbian language from the 11th century (Temniski zbornik - The Book of Temnic).
Following the linguistic and spelling reforms by Vuk Stefanovic Karadzic (1787 - 1864), based on the rule "write as you speak", and "one sound one letter", the folk language became Serbian literary language, with phonetic orthography.
Thus, Serbs have the simplest orthography and the most perfect alphabet in the world.
Serbian language is a very developed language (more than 800,000 words) with rich and detailed grammar (nine kinds of words, seven cases, three genders of nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, and precise expressions for active and passive states or the times of action). Depending on the pronunciation of the Old Slavonic sound "yat" Serbian language has three dialects:
ekavski (child = dete),
ijekavski (child = dijete),
ikavski (child = dite).
Serbian names indicate some basic qualities of the person, i.e. Stojan (postojanost - steadiness), Ratko (warrior qualities), Miroljub (peace-loving), etc. They also derive from trees, flowers, or animals, especially female names, e.g.: Borko (m.) or Borka (f.) (bor = pine), Golub (pigeon), Cveta (flower). Many names derive from Christian tradition, e.g.: David, Nikola, Petar, Pavle.
Most Serbian surnames have the surname suffix -ić (Cyrillic: -ић). This is often transcribed as -ic. In history, Serbian names have often been transcribed with a phonetic ending, -ich or -itch.
The -ić suffix is a Slavic diminutive, originally functioning to create patronymics. Thus the surname Petrić signifies little Petar, as does, for example, a common prefix Mac ("son of") in Scottish and O' in Irish names.
It is estimated that some two thirds of all Serbian surnames end in -ić.
Other common surname suffixes are -ov or -in which is the Slavic possessive case suffix, thus Nikola's son becomes Nikolin, Petar's son Petrov, and Jovan's son Jovanov. Those are more typical for Serbs from Vojvodina.
The two suffixes are often combined.
Serbian language has very precise terms for defining family relationships, both on father's and mother's side, and marriages are not allowed down to the cousins seven times removed.
Every family relationship has a particular term to denote it, and some have even more terms. To name only some of them: otac (father), majka (mother), sin (son) cerka(daughter), unuk (grandson), unuka (granddaughter), deda (grandfather), baba (grandmother), brat (brother), sestra (sister), stric (uncle - father's brother), ujak (uncle - mother's brother), svastika (wife's sister), zaova (husband's sister), surak (wife's brother), dever (husband's brother).
Non-Serbs who studied the Serbian language include such prominent individuals as Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, J. R. R. Tolkien, Lamartine, Jacob Grimm.
Serbs belong to the Southslavonic group of Indo-European peoples.
By genetics, Serbs have the following Y-Dna chromosome distribution:
the highest is Haplogroup I1b (Y-DNA) with 29% occurrence,
then Haplogroup E3b (Y-DNA) or E3b1 haplogroup 20%,
R1a haplogroup with around 16% of tested individuals,
R1b haplogroup at 11%.
Somewhat smaller samples have haplogroups J2 8%, K 7% and I1a 7% Haplogroup I1a (Y-DNA).
There are several theories on the origin of the Serbs.
(I) Byzantine sources report that part of the Serbs migrated southward in the late sixth century and eventually overwhelmed the lands that now make up southern Serbia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Bosnia, Herzegovina and Dalmatia. In this region, Serbs mixed with other Slavic tribes (which settled there in the sixth century) and with descendants of the indigenous peoples of the Balkans: Illyrians, Thracians, Dacians and Celts.
(II) Theory suggests that Serbs are descendants of a tribe known as the Lugii. These Lugii lived in central Europe, around the same area that the present-day Lusatian Sorbs of Germany live in.
(III) Per Iranian theory, the original Serboi were a Sarmatian (Iranian) tribe, who lived in the northern Caucasus and Eastern Europe.

Serbian ancestors, Protoslavs and Old Serbs, were described in the 5th century BC by Herodotus, under the names of Neuri and Budini, living north of the Danube in the region between Dniepar and north-eastern Carpathian Mountains.
The first mention of the name "Serbs" appears in the 1st century BC (69- 75), in the Historia naturalis by Plinius Caecilius Secundus, who states that Serbs (Serbi) live on the coast of the Black Sea.
In the 2nd century, Claudius Ptolomaius writes in his Geographica that Serbs (Serboi, Sirboi - Serboi, Sirboi) live behind the Caucasus, near the hinterland of the Black Sea.
The first mention of the Serbian name on their present ethnical location appears in 822, in the work of Frank chronicler Einhardt (Annales regni Francorum). He confirms that Serbs are very numerous in Dalmatia.
During the great migrations in Europe (5th to 6th century), Serbian ancestors arrive to the Balkan Peninsula from several directions and settle in the wide area between four seas (Black, Adriatic, Aegean, and Ionian).
It is on this location that the eldest Serbian feudal states Raska (later Serbia) and Duklja (later Zeta or Montenegro) were formed.
From the second half of the 12th century Raska expanded by taking over the Byzantine territory.
The medieval Serbian state reached the height of power under the rule of Nemanjic dynasty (1166-1371).
From 1217 Serbia was a kingdom, and from 1346 an empire.
The Serbian Orthodox Church acquired independence in 1219, thanks to its first Archbishop St. Sava Nemanjic (1175-1235), a man of wide education, who inspired the revival of Serbian literature, education, law and medicine.
The medieval Serbian state was most powerful during the reign of Emperor Dusan Nemanjic, who consolidated the legal system of the empire by his Law issued in 1349 (with additions of 1354).
Medieval Serbian art, architecture, and fresco painting have been included into the World Cultural Heritage, sponsored by UNESCO (monasteries Sopocani, Mileseva, Studenica).
An invasion by the Turks at the end of the 14th century cut short the development of Serbian countries, and they fell under Turkish occupation after the battles of Marica (1371) and Kosovo (1389). The occupation was completed by the end of the 15th century and it lasted for several centuries. The Turkish occupation was one of the most tragic periods in the Serbian history. Serbian population was heavily taxed (harach) to support the Turkish imperial machinery. But even more tragic was the blood tax (danak u krvi) when pre teenage boys were separated by force from their parents to be raised as Turkish soldiers (janicari), and pretty young Serbian girls were taken to harems.
Serbian Orthodox churches and frescoes were destroyed and mutilated. Rebellions were harshly punished - men were buried alive or impaled on posts.
Near the town of Nis, stands today a tragic reminder of the brutality - skulls of Serbian people built into a tower (Cele Kula).
Earthly remains of St.Sava, the most worshipped Serbian Saint, were publicly burned by the Turkish soldiers on the hill of Vracar in Belgrade. On this sacred ground stands today the Saint Sava Serbian Orthodox Cathedral.
The Turkish occupation forced many migrations of the Serbs to the west (up the White Craina in Slovenia) and the north (up to Budapest).
The greatest of the migrations happened in 1690, when Serbs, led by Patriarch Carnojevic escaped to Pannonia (Austrian Empire).
The revival of the Serbian state started with the First Serbian Rebellion against the Turks (1804-1813), led by Karadjordje Petrovic. It was also the first instance of the break up of a feudal order after the French Revolution (1789).
From 1815, Serbia was a principality, and from 1882 a kingdom ruled by the Obrenovic dynasty.
During the Karadjordjevic dynasty (1903-1945), Serbia liberated the territories of Old Serbia, Kosovo, and South Serbia from the Turks (in 1912).
In 1908 the Austro-Hungarian Empire annexed Bosnia, mainly populated by Serbs. After the assassination of the Arch-Duke Ferdinand in Sarajevo on June 28, 1914, the Empire declared war on the Kingdom of Serbia. The Allies (France, England, Russia and USA) sided with the Serbs.

The London Declaration of the Allies of 1915 recognized that the traditional Serbian lands of Vojvodina, Lika, Dalmatia, Slavonija, Baranja, Bosnia and Herzegovina, occupied by the Austro-Hungarian Empire, join the Kingdom of Serbia.
In 1918, the Kingdoms of Serbia and Montenegro, with the territories of Slovenia and Croatia, formed a new state - The Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, which in 1929 was renamed The Kingdom of Yugoslavia. This multiethnic, multireligious state was headed by King Aleksandar Karadjordjevic, the Liberator.
King Aleksandar was assassinated in 1934 in Marseilles, France, and became the first victim of the growing Fascism in Europe.
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was attacked in April 1941 by the Fascist Forces of the Axes with Hungary and Bulgaria. The territory of Yugoslavia was occupied by these Forces, and the Independent State of Croatia was created, which declared war on the USA in December 1941.
Serbia under occupation provided home and shelter to thousands of deported Slovenes.
From 1941 to 1945, a systematic persecution and genocide was committed against the Serbian people in both Serbia proper, Croatia and Bosnia. About 1,000.000 Serbs perished. The most brutal were Croatian Fascists, Ustashi. " We shall kill one part of the Serbs, we shall transport another, and the rest will be forced to convert, " so said Dr. Mile Budak Minister of Education and Creeds in Craoatia on July 22,1941. In the concentration camp of Jasenovac, the most heinous crimes recorded in history were committed on more than 700,000 men women and children. ( When in 1984 the Serbian Patriarch German consecrated the memorial church in Jasenovac, he said "Forgive we must, forget we cannot.")It was customary for Ustashi to torture Serbian people, tie them in bundles and throw into pits. Examples of such crimes are numerous. In the village of Prebilovci, near Medjugorje in Hercegovina, 870 people were massacred. Nearly 50 years later their remains were exhumed and laid to rest in a newly built memorial church. Both the church and the remains were dynamited after the secession of Bosnia in 1992.
In October 1941, the Nazi Germans executed over 7000 Serbs in the city of Kragujevac, including classes of high school students during the school session.
In Vojvodina, Hungarian Fascists killed by drowning in ice covered rivers of the Danube and Tisa thousands of Serbian men, women and children.
In 1941, General Draza Mihajlovic and his followers, Chetniks, organized the first armed resistance in the Nazi occupied Europe. As a Royalist, he opposed the Communist Partisan leader Josip Broz Tito. During the Nazi occupation of Yugoslavia, 1941-1945, General Draza Mihajlovic and his Chetnics saved over 500 downed allied pilots mainly from the United States.
In recognition, General Mihajlovic was awarded posthumously The Legion of Merit by President Harry S. Truman (March 1948). General Mihajlovic was captured by Tito's Communists and executed in 1946.
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was abolished by the Communist Decree in 1945.
Yugoslavia was one of the founders of the United Nations.
The parliamentary life in Serbia has a very long tradition. In the Nemanjic times, in medieval Serbia, there were Councils of Lords. One characteristic of Serbian social system is a developed local government - local councils and country meetings were instances where all decisions were made during several centuries. Serbs retained this kind of local administration even under the Turkish occupation. In the newly established Serbian state (from 1804) national conventions were held regularly, and the first, very democratic Constitution was introduced in 1835. At the beginning of the 20th century (1903-1915) Serbia had a highly developed parliamentary system, according to European standards.
From 1945 Serbia was under the communist one-party rule.
The parliamentary system with several political parties was reintroduced in 1990.
In 1992 the Security Council of the United Nations imposed the most draconian economic sanctions on the remaining republics of Serbia and Montenegro, which today constitute the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
There are three main myths in the Serbian tradition:
1) The most important among them is the Kosovo legend, which grew around the terrible defeat suffered by the Serbian army, annihilated by Turks at the battle of Kosovo in 1389. Events connected with that historical tragedy acquired mythical proportions in the folk tradition and folk poetry, and took on many details and meanings derived from the Christian tradition. Thus Prince Lazar and his knights became identified with Christ and the martyrs, the Prince's son-in-law Vuk Brankovic with Judas, and Milos Obilic, who slew Turkish sultan Murat, with saintly warriors.
2)Prince Rastko Nemanjic (1174 - 1235) became monk Sava, and in time was elected the first Archbishop of the Serbian Orthodox Church. Different traditions and legends grew around his character - with the passage of time - he is supposed to have thought the Serbs to till the land, to build watermills, to keep flock. He was able to open springs in dry rocks by his wand, he fought the devil, he mastered the wolves, he created dogs to keep the flocks, etc. He is also celebrated as a national saint.
3) Prince Marko (around 1335 - 1395) also became a folk hero, the most popular character in the folk poetry of all the Slavonic peoples in the Balkans (Serbs, Bulgarians, Macedonians). Many traditions joined in the building up of this mythical hero - the old Greek stories of Heracles, historical facts (Marko was heir to the Serbian medieval empire), traditions of chivalry, and the idea of a folk hero. He was strong, just, brave, he had a winged horse, and he wielded a club with which he fought both mortals and supernatural beings.
Religion
In the early Middle Ages Serbs accepted Christianity, and according to 1991 . census, 95% of population belong to Eastern Orthodox Christians. The old Slavonic pagan religion that Serbs had brought from their former habitations survived for a long time along with Christianity. The cult of the ancestors and the belief in the life after death, survived in the Memorial Feasts at the Graveyards (zadusnice), days when people visit the graves, light candles for the souls of the dead, and offer food and drink. There are four main zadusnice feasts, always on Saturdays, usually on a second Saturday before the beginning of the Lents (Easter Lent or Christmas Lent), the Saturday before the Holy Trinity Day, before Saint Kiriak's Day (12th October), and Saint Demetrius Day (8th November).
Major holidays
Serbs honor the Christian religious feasts very much:
Christmas Day (Bozic)
Epiphany,
Visitation of the Virgin,
Palm Sunday,
Eastern Sunday (Uskrs)
Ascension Day,
Holy Trinity Day,
Transfiguration
Christmas Eve (6th January) On the morning of that day a dry oak branch and hay are brought into the house as symbols of fertility and family prosperity in the next year, and a meal of non-animal Lent foods is partaken by the family (a Christmas Eve cake, baked beans and walnuts).
Saint Sava (27th January), main national saint is deeply honored by Serbs and celebrated by schools (patron saint of education), and families.
Saint Vitus' Day (28th June) is a great national feast, in which the memories of the old Slavonic God Vitus joined with the memory of the terrible defeat of the Serbs in the Kosovo Field in 1389.
Other popular saints' days are:
St. George's Day (6th May),
St. Demetrius' Day (8th November),
St. Eliah's Day (2nd August).
There are three special kinds of religious feasts among Serbs:
slava - the patron saint of the family,
zavetine or litije - the village patron saint's day procession,
zanatlijske slave - patron saints' days of different guilds.
It is believed that people who celebrate the same slava are brothers and have a same ancestor. There are about 150 patron saints.
The Serbian Orthodox Church uses the Julian calendar, so Christmas currently falls on January 7 of the Gregorian calendar.
Obligatory slava objects are:
the icon of the saint,
a tall candle
a spring of dried basil.
There are also ritual dishes:
slavsko zito (boiled and kneaded wheat grains)
slavski kolac (slava loaf, an especially adorned ritual bread), blessed by priest before the main meal.
Slava is accompanied by toasts that are gems of folk oratory, and by singing.
Serbs take birth, marriage, and death to be the main turning points in human life. Up to the recent times they believed that birth and death were passing from one world into a parallel one, and back. Death in one of them means birth into another and vice versa. Both worlds rejoice in those who arrive and mourn for those who go away. Both consider the Earth to be their original ancestress. The act of burial was the act of birth in reversal. The child of earth, the dead, is brought to the graveyard, a holy location fenced off as earth's womb. The earth's child is laid down into earthen womb from which it originally came. Ritual customs surrounding a mother and her baby during the first 40 days after birth are parallel to those appropriate for the 40 days after death.
Serbs are open, direct, and warmhearted people, cautious and reserved to strangers at first, but very friendly, curious and helpful, once they get to know them.
One often-quoted feature of Serbian character is INAT, approximately meaning "spite"—the refusal to take an action which is being forced upon (regardless of reason thereof), and even wilful acting to the contrary, even to one's own harm. While it often has negative connotations, many Serbian successes, especially in sports and in difficult times of warfare, are also attributed to the stubborn insistence to drive out one's own goals.
Feature, often lamented upon by Serbs themselves, is the disunity and discord. Slobodan Naumović: "Disunity and disaccord have acquired in the Serbian popular imaginary a notorious, quasi-demiurgic status. They are often perceived as being the chief malefactors in Serbian history, causing political or military defeats, and threatening to tear Serbian society completely apart."
Popular proverbs "two Serbs, three parties" and "God save that Serbs may unite!", and even the unofficial Serbian motto "only unity saves Serbs" (Samo sloga Srbina spasava) illustrate the national frustration with the inability to unite over important issues.

Salutations are obligatory at encounter, as a sign of good will, honest intentions, and good manners. They can be verbal, hand shakes, cheek kissing.
In old times the formula for salutation was "God helps (Pomaze Bog), answered by "God help you" (Bog Ti pomogao).
Today the usual formula of greeting is "Good day" (Dobar dan), "Good morning" (Dobro jutro), "Good evening" (Dobro vece).
At parting one says "See you" (Dovidjenja), "Good night" (Laku noc).
Travelers are seen off with words "Lucky journey" (Srecan put).
Handshakes are used, with appropriate greetings, between acquaintances, friends, and equals, and kisses are exchanged between close relatives, godfathers (kumovi), and blood brothers. When coming to a family gathering, slava, or some other feast, guests exchange kisses with host and hostess, kissing their cheeks three times.
Gestures:
Agreement is expressed by nodding, and disagreement by shaking one's head from left to right. Surprise is denoted by hitting one's forehead with a hand, and confusion by scratching one's head behind the ear. Winking denotes a secret message, thumb between the index finger and the third finger (sipak) as well as hitting the bent elbow of the left arm with the right hand means rude refusal, offense and contempt. It is a rule that a younger person greets the elder, the guest greets the host, a rider greets a pedestrian, a man greets a woman, and a passer by - those sitting or standing. Formerly, elder or important people were greeted by bowing, kissing their hand, and taking of caps.
Serbia is rich in agricultural and cattle breeding produce, vegetables and fruit, so it is natural that Serbs have a very strong interest in food.
The first written data about education of Serbs belong to the 9th century, when the first school was opened by Christian missionaries and educationalists Cyril and Method, the creators of Slavonic literacy. In the Middle Ages Serbian monasteries were centers of education and they remained to be so during the dark ages of Turkish occupation (14th - 19th centuries). At the beginning of the 18th century, the Serbs who fled to Austria opened several higher schools there. Education received a strong inspiration by the re-establishment of the Serbian state in 1804, and many secular schools began to appear, together with the Great School, an embryo of University in Belgrade, in 1808.
Between the two world wars, basic education (four years) became compulsory for girls too, and after World War Two a compulsory eight year education was introduced.
Almost whole generations (95% of pupils) go forward to high schools (there are about 500 of them in Serbia).
There are six universities, with 76 faculties, that receive 130,000 students every year, and 60 highly specialized schools (with two year courses), entered by 40,000 students every year. Unfortunately, many young people go abroad every year after having finished their education (brain drain).
Parents strive to provide for the education and specialization of their children, expecting them to continue with independent life and work, to provide for their families, and enter the economic and social life of the country.
Education is free for all.
The most typical Serbian folk dance is kolo. In a kolo, the dancers form an open or closed ring of people who hold each other's hands, belts, shoulders, etc. Kolo is a symbol of the sun's circle. The dance is accompanied by music, sometimes singing, but it can also be a so-called mute kolo (nemo kolo). Kolo dances differ in rhythm, step and also by the direction in which the dancers move. When kolo dancers move in the direction opposite the usual one, it is a kolo for the dead (mrtvacko kolo).
Football (soccer) is the most popular of all contemporary sports. It was introduced by Serbian students returning to Switzerland at the end of the 19th century, and the first football clubs were founded in Belgrade as early as 1903: "Soko" - "The Falcon" and "Srpski mac" - "The Serbian Sword". "Crvena zvezda" - "The Red Star", one of the most popular Serbian football clubs, won the European and the world championships in 1991. The quality of Serbian professional football is reflected in the number of Serbian football players playing for the best European and world clubs.
The gravestones (krajputasi) have very original, witty, or clever epitaphs, and they are decorated by multicolored images and scenes invoking the character of the dead.
Although the country is rich in wine and brandy (especially the famous sljivovica), alcoholism has never been a major social problem in the country. It does not include an important percentage of the population. The same applies to the problem of drugs. They are taken by a smaller number of young people, mainly in larger cities.

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Origin of the firesteels/4C's charges (ocila)
Ocila is the term that describes the four C-shaped elements on the coat of arms.

Another word in Serbian for the same thing is ognjila, but I do not think that this is ever used for those elements in this sense.

Ocila is called in English a firesteel, a cup or plate used for holding fire in religious service (or most usually beneath icons), providing the fragrant smoke.

Similar device is also known in Western European heraldry, then most usualy with opening above, often with fire bursting from it.
Željko Heimer, 28 September 1998

The meaning and use of this symbol is said to date back to the XIIIth century during the life of St. Sava, a Serbian prince, monk, and a patron of the Serbian Orthodox Church [est. 1219].

During that time of transition in Serbian maedieval history, the state was pressured by the Vatican to convert into Catholicism.

Since the state did not have its own independent ecclesiastic establishment, St. Sava called for establishment of Serbian independent Archiepiscopat, and as well called on all Serbs to unite against the pressure from The Vatican.

St. Sava said, 'Only Unity Saves the Serbs', in Serbian, Samo Sloga Srbina Spasava. Every word in that sentence begins with the letter S; in Cyrillic alphabet letter S is С, and there comes the explanation why there are four C's in the Serbian coat of arms.

The Serbian coat of arms represents a reminder for a need for Serbian people to unite with the cause to preserve their heritage and nationhood.