Orthodox Christians celebrate the Ascension of the Lord today, one of the most important holidays in the Christian calendar, marked 40 days after Easter. Also known to the people as Ispas, this day commemorates the moment when Jesus Christ ascended to heaven, in front of His disciples. In all Orthodox churches, the Holy Liturgy is celebrated, and the service is connected with both the Resurrection of the Lord and the Descent of the Holy Spirit, which will be celebrated in ten days.
Tradition says that on this day, people greet each other with „Christ is Risen!”, and the response is „Truly He is Risen!”
The Day of Ispas is accompanied by numerous folk customs. In some regions, funeral services are organized at cemeteries and alms are given of Easter cakes, cozonac and red eggs for the souls of the deceased. It is believed that on this day, the heavens remain open, and those who die of the Ascension go directly to the Kingdom of Heaven.
In some areas of the country, it is said that Maundy Thursday is the Easter of the Horses, and the horses are set free. Housewives dye eggs red and crack them, similar to the Easter tradition.
Also on this day, medicinal plants such as lovage, hazel or sycamore are sanctified. In some villages, people symbolically fight with lovage, to be protected from diseases and troubles.
Being a holiday with a red cross, believers do not wash clothes or do household chores. It is said that those who violate these rules will be followed by bad luck.
As on many other important holidays, people look to the sky and the fields. It is said that as the weather is on Maundy Thursday, so will it be all summer. Also at this time, housewives start picking grape leaves for sarmale, and people go out into the fields to see how the crops are doing. If the crow is no longer visible from the wheat, a rich harvest is announced.
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