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Vidovdan

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Vidovdan
Kosovo Maiden
Observed by	ethnic Serbs (Serbian Orthodox Christians)
Type	Christian, cultural
Significance	Veneration of St. Vitus
Date	June 28 Gregorian Calendar June 15 Julian Calendar)
Observances	Feast day (Slava)
Related to	Slava

Obelisk Svetovid (All-seeing God) according to Slavic mythology.

Knight Miloš Obilić with the helmet where there is a dragon

Vidovdan (Serbian Cyrillic: Видовдан) means: Vid's-Day, Day of Light, Day of Eye, is a Day in the glory of God of Vido or Svetovid (All-seeing God), the God who sees the whole world, according to Slavic mythology, whose feast is on June 28 (Gregorian Calendar, June 15 according to the Julian Calendar). This day represents to Serbs folklore and pagan tradition that has its roots in Slavic mythology. On the same day Serbian Orthodox Church is designated as a memorial day to Saint Prince Lazar and the Serbian holy martyrs who gave their lives in defend their faith during the epic Battle of Kosovo against Ottoman Empire on June 28, 1389.
The feast day is sacred to ethnic Serbs (Serbian Orthodox Christians), who transformed the pagan Slavic god of war, fertility and abundance "Svetovid"^[1] (Vid) into the Sicilian martyr St. Vitus, who exorcized the evil out of Diocletian's son. This transformation took place at the time of the final christianization of the Serbs during the rule of Basil I (867–886) by the Byzantine missionaries Cyril and Methodius. Through the centuries, Serbian historical events such as the Battle of Kosovo became sources for spiritual strength and patriotism. It was not a coincidence that Gavrilo Princip assassinated the Austro-Hungarian Archduke Franz Ferdinand at Vidovdan, triggering the First World War.^[2]

[edit] Folk traditions and legends

For Vid's-Day, which are in the people known as the Day of light, are associated with many legends and folk traditions. On Day of Vido, before sunrise, a people visit the springs and washes the face. When the sun appears, people are turning to the East, the cross are, and say: "Vido, Vid's-Day, what you see with the eyes with his hands to created". Near the springs people put red thread (red color symbolizes the sun, fire and life, and reject the evil eye).
After the Battle of Kosovo were created legends about the fairies of Rusalke. These are young women and fiancee of dead Serbian soldiers during the battle. They appeared one day before Vidovdan, from sunset till dawn and roamed in the woods. They shouted all night and wept for the dead of Prince Lazar and his knights. Fairies are during the night gathered next to forest streamlet and lit a fire around which they dancing naked. If the young Serb accidentally ran into on the fairies during ritual, they gave him to drink the red wine and turned him into a dragon, they wanted him to avenge the death of Prince Lazar and his knights and to free the God of Vido (Sun).
Vidovdan has long been considered a date of special importance to ethnic Serbs and the Balkans, the following events each took place on Vidovdan, but are expressed here in the Gregorian Calendar:

• on June 28, 1389, the Ottoman Empire fought against Serbia in the Battle of Kosovo, and Serbian Prince Lazar was slain in battle. Ottoman Sultan Murad I was killed by Serbian knight Miloš Obilić.
• on June 28, 1914 the assassination of the Austro-Hungarian crown prince, Franz Ferdinand, triggers the First World War.
• on June 28, 1919, the Treaty of Versailles was signed, ending World War I.
• on June 28, 1921, the Serbian King Alexander I proclaimed the new Constitution of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, known thereafter as the Vidovdan Constitution (Vidovdanski ustav).
• on June 28, 1948, the Cominform published, on the initiative of its Soviet delegates Zhdanov, Malenkov and Suslov, in a "Resolution on the State of the Communist Party of Yugoslavia" their condemnation of the Yugoslavian communist leaders - this happening is seen as the date that marks the final split between the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia.
• on June 28, 1989, on the 600th anniversary of the battle of Kosovo, Serbian leader Slobodan Milošević delivered the Gazimestan speech at the site of the historic battle.
• on June 28, 2001, Slobodan Milošević was deported to ICTY to stand trial.
• on June 28, 2006, Montenegro was announced as the 192nd member state of the United Nations.
• on June 28, 2008 was the inaugural meeting of the Community Assembly of Kosovo and Metohija.

In Bulgaria it is called Vidovden (Видовден) or Vidov Den (Видов ден) and is particularly well-known in (Shopluk), the western part of the country.
Vidovdan was referred to in the song "Oro"; Serbia's entry in the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest, performed by Jelena Tomasevic.