Colorful and quiet, the Czech traditions in March are very varied and symbolic of the change of seasons.
Although the first day of spring is almost at the end of March, many people consider the 1st of March the beginning of spring. Farmers move back to the fields and prepare for the busy agricultural season.
Masopust and Lent
Masopust, Ostatky or Fašank is Czech carnival celebrated between the end of February and beginning of March. You can read more about the celebrations in Fašank, Ostatky or Masopust, the beautiful and unusual Czech Mardi Gras.
Masopust is the last merry celebration before Easter, it is followed by the Lent which starts on Ash Wednesday. Find out more in Ash Wednesday, Beginning of Lent.
On the fifth Sunday of the Lent (so-called Death Sunday), people would perform a folk ritual called Vynášení smrti (Taking out the death). People would make a straw figure which symbolized the winter, dress it in women’s clothes and a necklace from egg shells. They would carry this mořena or mařena around the village while singing and then throw it in the river and watch it float away as the winter, too, floats away.
This tradition is still observed in some places and it’s captured on the featured picture by Mikoláš Aleš.
MDŽ
MDŽ is a common Czech abbreviation for Mezinárodní den žen or International Women’s Day on the 8th of March. This day was very popular during the communist era when women would be given red carnations. Nowadays, it has partially been replaced by the Mother’s Day celebrated in May.
Gregorian Winter (Řehořská zima)
As much as people might rejoice in the fact that winter is over, the farmers always knew that the month of March was the time time of caution. The end of the first decade of March brought a sudden drop of temperatures. This short period is called Řehořská zima or Gregorian Winter and it lasted about a week. It’s called after St. Gregory (sv. Řehoř) whose name day is March 12.
Beginning of March is still normally quite cold in the Czech Republic but there’s no denying that the spring is coming. As you maybe know, Czech folklore loves weather sayings, so here are a some:
- Na svatého Řehoře, ledy plují do moře, vlaštovičky od moře. – On St. Gregory’s Day, the ice floats towards the sea, the swallows fry away from the sea.
- O svatém Řehoři mrazy vše umoří. – On St. Gregory’s Day, the frost kills everything.
- Pokyne-li Řehoř hlavou, obešle nás zimou bílou. – If Gregory nods his head, he sends us a white winter.
Marian Spring (Mariánské léto)
The end of the second March decade brings the so-called Marian Spring which lasts until the half of the first decade of April. This early spring wasn’t always warm, it was rather a period which would tell people the weather for the next month or more. If this short season was cold, the cold would persist until May. Rain meant dry spring, warm evenings meant the full spring would come early and more light than usual in the mornings meant a fruitful year.
St. Joseph (sv. Josef)
March 19 is the day of St. Joseph and our forefathers knew they could take off their heavy coats because this was the end of winter. Joseph fairs (josefské poutě) were very popular, people would buy gingerbread, have a little fun and talk about the upcoming spring and about what the agricultural season would be like.
Annunciation (Zvěstování páně)
March 25 is the Day of the Annunciation for all Christians. Our forefathers used to start this day with a church mass before which they haven’t eaten anything. The day was spent at home, nobody was supposed to go for a visit or receive one and also people were not supposed to bring anything from the indoors outside.
Easter
Easter is observed in movable dates, some years, the beginning of Easter falls into March, other years, it’s celebrated in April. I have a whole category of articles dedicated to Easter food, traditions and more information about the significant dates of Easter, you can find them all here.
Burning of the Witches
The evening of April 30 is the so-called Burning of the Witches. I explain the tradition in this article.
