Baptism ritual in War and Peace

[nataliek at UALBERTA.CA]

Just a couple more words on the hair in the wax: Yes, the sink/float test is a
common one not only in Russian folklore, but elsewhere and, as one of the
correspondents mentioned, it is not really a test when it is done as part of a
normal ritual.  Whatever is thrown into water is pretty well guaranteed to
float.

The wax, as far as I know, should be taken from the baptismal candle, the one
held by the godmother if the infant is a girl and the one held by the 
godfather
if it is a boy.  In general, in wax ceremonies, including the ones done 
as part
of folk healing, the wax must come from a church candle, and one blessed in
church.  The wax, BTW, is/must be beeswax.

Candles are used for prognostication in other life cycle rituals.  During the
wedding, two candles are burned, one for the groom and one for the 
bride.  They
indicate respective length of life.  I have seen the 2 candles in rural 
weddings
I have attended, but have never seen them burned.  Since there is no guarantee
of good outcome, as above, would you really want to know if you will die first
or your spouse will?

One more quick item - cutting of hair is associated with baptism and the
welcoming of the child into the world.  In the past, it was done at age 1 when
the priest cut a cross into the child's hair as a blessing.  This is now done
as part of the baptism.

Natalie Kononenko
Kule Chair of Ukrainian Ethnography
University of Alberta
Modern Languages and Cultural Studies
200 Arts Building
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2E6
Phone: 780-492-6810
Web: http://www.arts.ualberta.ca/uvp/

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