March 9 is an important date in Romanian tradition. It marks the beginning of the agricultural year and the passing of the cold winter days (Babele – the Old Women) and the coming of the warm days of spring (Mosii – the Old Men).

The Orthodox Church celebrates the 40 Martyr Saints (Mucenici), who were 40 Roman soldiers killed for their religious beliefs in the town of Sevastia (in Armenia) during the days of Roman Emperor Licinus (around 300 A.C.)

The day is celebrated with various specific rituals that draw their roots from pagan and Christian traditions.

The best-known tradition is the making of the Mucenici, a traditional desert that takes specific forms in different regions of the country (especially Moldova, eastern Wallachia, and Dobrogea).

Juranda’s homemade Romanian food: “Moldovan Mucenici” – A traditional dessert

However, the most popular tradition with men is the ritual drinking. Tradition requires men to drink 40 glasses of wine on this day for the 40 martyr saints (in some regions they drink 44 glasses). This tradition, however, seems to draw its roots from the celebrations dedicated to the Roman god Bacchus.

On this day, graves and the gates of Heaven are believed to open, and the souls of the dead descend among the living. One more reason to drink with the dearly departed.

In the countryside, people light fires in their yards, gardens, and in the fields, they bless their families and their livestock with holy water, and they beat the ground with clubs to chase away the cold.

Farmers also start the agricultural works on this day by cutting the first vine strings and by collecting the bees’ honey.

Many of the March 9 traditions have been lost over the years. Not the Mucenici and the 40 wine glasses, however.

editor@romania-insider.com