The Lazare’s ritual is organized on Saturdays, 8 days before Easter Sunday, the day of celebration of Saint Lazarus Day. This ceremony is a religious-held pagan ritual.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The preparation starts several days in advance with young people getting together and sharing roles in groups by names in turn and wearing the corresponding outfits:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Father Shehu: In a kandillaf (a priest\u2019s biretta, yet white) in a priestly cassock-like sheet, pastoral staff, trumpet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
First captain: Dressed in a frock, whip, and dagger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Groom: Dressed in a frock, nice whip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bride: Dressed in a wedding gown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bride\u2019s captain: Dressed in a frock, dagger, and handgun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Doctor: Wearing a white shirt, briefcase, and glasses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Devil: Dressed in black clothes, horned mask, and trumpet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Curcula: A girl, wearing a long hat with nice-looking ribbons (called \u00e7urcule)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Old woman: Dressed in black clothes, wearing a headscarf, pitchfork-like stick, and basket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Old man: Dressed in the traditional loose waist and narrow-legged calf pants, wearing a mustache, hat, wearing bells and cowbells on his belt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Almost everyone is wearing a mask.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Early on Saturday, they head to the farthest village to finally come back to their own village. From door to door, they sing traditional songs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mir\u00ebm\u00ebngjesi \u2013 dita e g\u00ebzuar (Good morning, it\u2019s a happy day)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mir\u00ebse u gjem\u00eb – zot\u00ebrin\u00eb tuaj (Pleased to meet you)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Urdh\u00ebroni q\u00eb t\u2019u thomi… (Let us tell you\u2026.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tokun, Tomi krone roto<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jani (Vasil, Gole, Foto…) kanakari, (The favorite Jani (Vasil, Gole, Foto…))<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Qe nisur e stolisur…. (Indulged, stepped out dressed up)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once this was over, they would blow the whistle and trumpets, and also ring the bells and cowbells. The hosts would welcome and treat them with eggs, candies, money, nuts, dried figs, and the like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If hosts offer them nothing, they sing:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Foli dhria dhris\u00eb, (Old women, talk round)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Zonj\u00ebs s\u00eb sht\u00ebpis\u00eb. (To the lady of the house)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
T\u00eb na jap\u00eb vez\u00ebn, (To give us the egg)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Lazare’s ritual is organized on Saturdays, 8 days before Easter Sunday, the day of celebration of Saint Lazarus Day. This ceremony is a religious-held pagan ritual. The preparation starts several days in advance with young people getting together and sharing roles in groups by names in turn and wearing the corresponding outfits: Father Shehu: […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[833,834],"tags":[874],"class_list":["post-3619","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-dropull-municipality","category-gjirokaster-municipality","tag-social-practices-rituals-and-festive-events"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n