Orthodox Christmas eve (kuts’tsja — куцьця) in Polesia (I/VII). Tsjerablichy 2017.
Kuts’tsja is the name of a porridge found in Belarusian, Polish, Lithuanian, Ukrainian and Russian cuisine. It is made from wheat or barley or, in Belarus, from rice. Kuts’tsja is made for three evenings in Orthodox Christmastide (great or fasting kuts’tsja on January 6, Orthodox Christmas eve; rich or spare kuts’tsja on January 13, old new year’s eve; and hungry or water kuts’tsja on January 18, the eve of Vadokhryshcha, the Baptism of Christ/Theophany), for major commemorations of ancestors (Radaunitsa, nine days after Orthodox Easter and Dzjady, around All Saints’ Day), and for the anniversary of a family member’s death (paminki).
Vjerka Naskjevich kindly allowed me to photograph her preparation of fasting kuts’tsja, which involves preparatory rituals and the preparation of 12 dishes to commemorate the 12 apostles, on January 6.
Посная куцьця на Палесьсі (I/VII). Цераблічы 2017 г.
Вялікі дзякуй спадарыні Верцы за дазвол здымаць яе прыгатаваньне поснай куцьці й астатных з 12 страў вячэры напярэдадні Раства.
In commemoration of the manger where Jesus was born, Vjerka places straw under the tablecloth and bundles straw to place under the table. The custom is to feed the bundle to animals in their stalls at the end of the Christmas season.
Ува ўспамін ясляў, дзе нарадзіўся Езус, спадарыня Верка зьмяшчае сена пад абрус і стол.
Vjerka lights a homemade candle.
Другі крок: запальваньне хатняй сьвечкі.
The stacking and lighting of 12 sticks of firewood (12 to commemorate the Apostles) in the stove.
Спадарыня Верка запальвае печку 12 штукамі дрэва ўва ўспамін 12 апосталаў.
