Martisor

In Moldova spring is the most expected season. Coming of the spring is accompanied by celebration called “Martisor”. The celebration starts on 1st March when people give to each other little red & white mascots called “martisor”. They give these martisors with the words “Live and blossom like apple-trees in the heart of the spring”. The name on martisor derives from “martie”, translated as “March” from Romanian. People put these little mascots to their clothes for the whole month. On 31st March the martisors are taken from the clothes and tied to blossoming fruit trees. It is considered that if you wish something while tying the wish comes true. Martisors are believed to bring happiness and success for the whole year.

Nobody knows when people started to celebrate Martisor. Archeological researches in Romania prove that mascots like martisors existed more than 8 000 years ago. It is considered that this holiday appeared in the times of Roman Empire when the New Year was celebrated on 1st March. The month was called in honor of the god Mars. He was god not only of the war but also of agriculture that leads to nature rebirth. So, red and white colors of martisors may be explained as colors of war and peace.

There are many different legends which tell about appearing of this beautiful holiday. One of them tells that on the first day of March wonderful Spring came out to the verge of the forest. The Spring looked around and saw in the blackthorn little dainty snowdrop appearing from the snow. A kind Spring wanted to help the snowdrop and started to take away the snow and thorny branches. The Winter saw this and became angry. She brought severe wind and snow to wipe out a little flower. However the Spring covered the flower by her hands. She wounded her finger and hot blood dropped to the faint flower. Thanks to that the snowdrop came to the life. Thus the wonderful Spring won the Winter. Since that time people wear little martisors which symbolize red blood on the white snow. This is one of those beautiful legends which tell about how this holiday appeared.

Moldova celebrates Martisor not just by wearing those little mascots but also by the international music festival “Martisor” which starts at 1st March and lasts for 10 days. For the first time the festival was organized in 1967. The festival becomes more and more popular and attracts a great attention from the foreign people. Many international guests and singers come to the festival.