People of Lithuania celebrate the day of their great leader every year on 4th March. Estimation from the history said that he lived in the 15th century and he was the great leader of Lithuania. This day is celebrated across the country, especially in Vilnius and the celebrations continue for a month. On this, day people organize a fair where they display different kinds of artwork in this fair, which remains open on every Sunday in March.
Who is Saint Casimir?
He was the great leader of Lithuania and Poland. He is famous in Lithuania due to the reason that he is the only Roman universal leader and due to this reason, people of his nation are known as Lithuanian. After his death, he was buried in the capital of the Lithuania Known as Vilnius. His festival day observed across the country of Lithuania on 4th March. The actions that are taken on that day represent the tradition of the people of Lithuania, and also they celebrate this day in remembrance of their great leader.
His birthplace was Cracow, Poland, and was born on 3 October 1458. The name of his grandfather was King Wladislaus 2 Jagiello, who converted the people of Lithuania from their traditional Christian faith to the Roman Catholic Faith. King Casimir 4 who was his father offered his services in Lithuania, and after that, his father turned to be the king of Poland. His mother also offered her services in Austria who was the Princess Elizabeth of this country. He had 6 brothers and 6 sisters among which Casimir was the second elder brother. As they were grown in Poland, so they have a strong connection with Lithuania.
He was given excellent education with firm religious faith. The name of his teachers includes Father Dlugosz who was the polish historiographer, a Roman universal ruler and also an Archpope. By exposing him to the Roman Universal, religiousness greatly influenced the immature lad. When he was only nine years old, his parents send him to the father, Dlugosz. At such a small age, he proved his great religious loyalty. He traveled to Hungary at the age of thirteen where he had been honored with the crown to rule the Hungarians in the war against assailing Muslims of Turkey. The war of the military flopped, and he came back to Poland.
His repute with religiousness developed as he turned into an immature man. He was famous for having loyalty with the Virgin Mary. It is believed that he remains bends on his knees and praying outside the locked churches doors, he was busy praying for many hours also at nights, and also in poor weather conditions. He also earned fame for his modesty and also for his loyalty to starvation.
In 1479, when he of 21 years aged, his father departed from Poland and came back to Lithuania to organize the national political concerns He then offered the services as the King of Poland when his father was not there. People knew him as a wise ruler. During this period, his father attempted to organize his marriage; the immature emperor rejected all opportunities and elected to remain a bachelor. In 1484, he traveled to Lithuania and turned to be severely ill. He died on 4th March at the court in Grodno.
After his death, people started praying at his grave. Some people believe that wonders occurred when they asked for his help. One of his most popular wonders happened in 1518 when Russian armed forces raided on the Polotsk’s Lithuanian city. It is believed that he emerged on a white horse and guided them on the command around the river Daugava. By getting motivated by this wondrous spirit, the Lithuanians defeated the Russian attack.
In 1521, the universal church of Roman started hearing of cases and publically announced him as the holy man of the church. These hearings, at last, approached to an end on 7th November 1602 when father Clement VIII declared Casimir Publically as the universal holy man of Roman.
The foundation of recalling the memories of him and also other holy men on this holy day is discovered in old Roman culture. On the death anniversary, the families distribute the ceremonial foods at the place of the grave of the predecessor. This tradition was taken over by Christians, who start celebrating a ceremonial meal on the death anniversary of the predecessors in the belief, particularly heroes. Consequently, most Christian holy days are related to the death of the holy man.
Additionally offering his services as the supporter holy man of Lithuania, he also turned into the supporter holy man of the youngsters. Father Pius XII appointed Casimir this rank on 11th June 1948, which is frequently portrayed keeping a lily, which is a cultural Christian sign for modesty and simplicity.
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Symbols and Customs
Casimir Fair
Several years ago, a lot of Lithuanians traveled to Vilnius to observe this day near his grave. The tourists live a day or two and do some shopping in this large city. It has outdoor markets. These markets give memorials of this day to the visitors like palms and cookies with heart-shaped, and also Lithuanian art goods, and also many other beneficial things. These fairs may be called as the Kaziuko muges in the Lithuanian language. Presently these fairs can be discovered in many cities in Lithuania. They display Lithuanian art goods, traditional music, and also cultural dance. These are commonly planned on 4th March or the weekend that is nearer to this date.
These fairs can also be held in different parts of the world, where it displays its traditional things like Lithuanian foods, books, music, and the artwork of Lithuania. Many natives of Lithuania visit these fairs and reengage themselves with their cultural legacy and also with other people of their society.
Heart Shaped Cookies
On this day natives of Lithuania made heart shaped cookies. These cookies include honey rather than sugar as their major substitutes for sugar. Other additives comprise flour, eggs, butter, cream, cinnamon, and cloves. The bread is iced, squished to level it, and trim with those knives or cutters having the shape of a heart. When the cookies are cooked, they are ornamented with colorful sugar. Normal pattern includes flowers, birds, dots, and zigzags.
Ancient traditional promoted bakers who established a shop at this fair usually use Lithuanian name to each cookie. People who participate in this fair frequently mostly purchase these cookies with the names of their friends or relatives who have not participated in this fair. Ongoing back to their houses, people mostly share these memorials to those who have not participated in this fair. Presently Lithuanian families cook their cookies. They ensure to ornament at least one cookie having the name of each family member.
Palms
It is from those objects, which can be usually observed at this fair. Craftsmen made the palms by twinning each other with grasses and flowers to shape the contours of ordinary Lithuanian pattern. Then they fix these geometric schemes with a small stick. Off and on herbs, grasses, and flowers are joined together or pasted with very slim sticks.
Lithuanians preserve the palms of this day and bring them to the church on Palm Sunday. Later on, they carry them home and utilize them as domestic ornaments.