Epiphany is the celebration of the moment when Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River, a moment celebrated by Romans every year on January 6. The tradition of Epiphany is the sanctification of waters, houses and households, in order to have a year free from evil, full of abundance, health and good luck. This period has deep magical connotations in Romanian culture, being considered auspicious for both charms and charms.
On this occasion, it is said that young girls can find out who will be their sweetheart. Thus, unmarried girls must steal a twig from the bunch of basil with which the priest sprinkles the house. On the night before Epiphany, they must tie a red silk thread on their ring finger and put a sprig of basil under their pillow, and in a dream they will be shown their chosen one.
It is also said that the girls that slip on the ice and fall will surely get married in the following year.
Tradition also says that no laundy is done on Epiphany. Any king of house work or field work is strictly forbidden on this day.
On what concerns the men, on Epiphany they have a competition. On the edge of a river, which in January is ice-cold, the priest throws a wooden cross into the water. Young men jump naked into the water and try to find it. It is said that the man who finds the cross will have a happy and wealthy year.
