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corresponds to the pig’s sacrifice for the winter http://www.e-reporter.ro/ignat-ritualuri-stravechi-
holidays: Christmas and New Year.” sau-cum-poti-realiza-adevarate-capodopere-de-arta-
“The winter holidays, which span three weeks, begins vizuala-pe-4-centimetri/
on December 20th with the Feast of Ignatius. On this Monday, 16 December 2019
day, Saint Martyr Ignatius Theoforu, descendant of On the consistencies: Ignat - ancient rituals
the Apostles, patriarch of the Church of Antioch and Contemporary Romanian fine art
apprentice of St. John Evangelist, is celebrated in the Tomis Mall, Art Gallery, Constanta
Christian Orthodox religion. “ December 20th
“The ritual of sacrificing the pig around the Christmas
holidays is reminiscent of the animal sacrifices olalekan falade
practiced by the old peoples (Egyptians, Greeks,
Romans) during the periods of passage from one year Published by I care at 12:25 pm
or season to the next. At a time such as the one at the http://sanuuitam.blogspot.com/2019/12/pe-simezele-
cost of the old year and the new year, it was settled constantene-ignat-ritualuri.html
on the regenerating function of sacrifice. With this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdcj60fAv88
sacrifice, the semantic equivalent of the year that goes The opening “Ignatul and ancient rituals” in the Art
out, a new life is born, that of the new year.” Gallery of Tomis Mall
“In the faith of the ancient Dacians, the pig was More than 100 Romanian artists will exhibit more than
sacrificed as a symbol of the divinity of darkness, 200 works of visual art in the Art Gallery Constanta
which weakened the power of the Sun on the shortest space, on the 2nd floor of Tomis Mall.
day of the year at the Winter Solstice. To come to the The opening will take place on Friday, December 20th,
aid of the Sun, people sacrificed pigs. After that, the at 13.00, on the day romanians celebrate Ignatul. The
day began to grow and Christmas became a celebration manifestation of visual and culinary art was conceived
of light and life.” as a meeting occasion between beautiful amateurs and
“The IGNATius had to take place in the light, since art creators in the beginning of the winter holidays.
only light could keep at its distance, by its burning The exhibition is basically a visual joy and a joy of
power, the evil spirits, who would try to undo the taste, an opportunity to approach and party between
virtues of sacrifice.” artists and the amateur art audience. This unique event
“The ritual ensemble of the pig’s “cutting” is was conceived by professor Dr. Florin Stoiciu, one
concluded by the common mass, generally called of the masters of Romanian engraving, who works
“pig’s alms”, in some places “pig feast” (Prahova). at Ovidius University in Constanta and launched a
As a form of food communion constituting the final challenge for his former and current students (as a
phase of any sacrificial act, “pig alms” goes beyond pedagogical endeavor), for his former teachers, but
food connotations. In ancient patterns of traditional also for great romanian artists.
life, it was carried out in a solemn atmosphere, quietly, Together with students or masters, they display big
being carried out, first and foremost, the spiritual and very big names from romanian art, multiples
communion of the participants in the sacrificial act awarded both to us and outside the country’s borders:
performed.” sculptors, painters, beggars, cartoonists, designers,

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