According to the Julian Calendar, today is Christmas Eve. Among the customs Rusyns brought with them to
this country were Viflejemčiki or Jasličkári,
traditional Rusyn Bethlehem singers, who carried a small replica of
a church with them. Their visits to
homes during the Christmas season began with the singing of Rozhdestvo
Tvoje, the tropar for the Birth of Christ.
Traditionally the Jaslichkary
or shepherds, garbed in white long white garments with colorful ribbons across
their chests and tall stove pipe hats, presented a short play about the
Nativity and sang carols. Their
solemnity was in sharp contrast to the accompanying kubi who wore old clothes and sheepskin masks and carried wooden
hatchets. They chased children,
threatening to put the naughty ones in the large burlap bags they slung over
their shoulders. The likelihood of such
a happening was diminished as the bag filled with food and drink from the
households.
The picture from SS. Peter and Paul Carpatho-Rusyn Orthodox Church in Central City, Pennsylvania is probably from the late 1940s. The Jaslichkary in the back row are John “Herbie” Pribish, Steve Evano, Ed Fetsko and Mike Strongosky. The kubi are John Muha and one of the Smolen brothers.
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