CELEBRATING ST. PETER’S DAY – BETWEEN THE TRADITIONAL AND THE MODERN

Abstract

Celebrating St. Peter’s Day represents one of the more prominent summer festivities for the inhabitants of Rađevina and Valjevska Podgorina regions in Serbia. Historically, this holiday was celebrated for the purpose of protecting the crops, and its highlight was the burning of the so-called lilas (flaming torches) just ahead of the holiday which would turn into a mass popular gathering. In Rađevina region, this holiday was also known for the ritual where one should out dance the others in order to win a florin, a golden coin. This paper will try to show-case how the modernization of the celebration of this traditional holiday reflects the entire life of the community (economic, social, political). Thanks to the efforts of the parish in the village of Dobro Polje, the ritual of out-dancing for the golden coin was revitalized in 1990s, while the Day of Saint Peter, patron saint of the village of Valjevska Kamenica (Gornja Kamenica), is undergoing a transformation into a more elaborate manifestation called Petrovdanski dani (The Days of Saint Peter) organized by the officials of the local community for the last 15 years. Taking into account the traditional principles of celebrating the holiday as a mean of protecting the non-material heritage, contemporary festivities could be designated as a way of creating a new identity of local communities, as well as a novel tourist product.