Vucic posts powerful message on major Serbian feast, St. Nicholas Day: President and his family attend church

Photo: instagram.com/buducnostsrbijeav/

President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic has wished a happy St. Nicholas feast to all Serbian families who celebrate this day as their patron saint day (slava).

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"Happy slava to all who celebrate St. Nicholas, health and joy to you, and may the great saint and God protect Serbia," Vucic stated in a post on Instagram.

He also published photos of himself, his son Danilo, and brother Andrej in a church, taking part in rituals unique to Serbian Orthodox Christians and the way we celebrate family patron saints.

St. Nicholas is the Vucic family slava.

According to folk beliefs, on this holiday, as well as the day before and the day after, one does not do any household chores. Forget vacuuming, doing laundry or any heavy physical work. The focus is exclusively on prayer and preparation of the celebratory dinner, which - given that we are currently in Christmas lent - is always red meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy-free.

The greatest joy is reserved for the youngest. According to tradition, children clean their boots the night before St. Nicholas, and leave them at the window, waiting for the saint to arrive on a white horse and bring gifts. These would be walnuts, hazelnuts, apples and candy - symbolizing both care and attention, and, humbleness.

There is also belief that any girl born on the eve of St. Nicholas Day will grow up to have a very happy and blessed marriage.

This saint revered by Christians was born around 270 AD in the town of Patara (present day Turkey), to a wealthy family - but after the death of his parents, he gave away everything he had to the poor.

He became the archbishop of Myra, which is why he is also referred to as Nicholas of Myra. St. Nicholas is known for his humbleness, and for fighting for justice.

St. Nicholas is believed to have died on December 6 (December 19 in Orthodox Julian calendar), in 343 AD. His relics are now located in the Italian town of Bari.

(Telegraf.rs/Tanjug)