Description Kourbania

1 description

1.1 in cappadocia (anatolia)
1.2 in heracleopolis (anatolia)
1.3 in lesbos
1.4 in thrace

description

the practice involves blood sacrifice (θυσία, thusia) of domestic animal either saint, taken tutelary of village in question, or dedicated holy trinity or virgin. animal slaughtered outside village church, during or after divine liturgy, or on eve of feast day. animal led church before icon of saint, or locked in church during night preceding sacrifice. of kourbania spread between april , october.

the descriptions (for both byzantine , turkish periods) of θυσία, or kurban (in turkish), numerous indeed, , example of 1 popular element turks adopted byzantium. detailed description given sixteenth-century turkish slave bartholomaeus gourgieuiz:

manner of (the turks ) sacrifice.

in time of anye disease or peril, promise in certaine places sacrifice either shepe or oxe; after vowed offering not burned, unto beast killed , layed on aulter, custome among jewes, after beast slaine, skinne, head, feete, , fourthe parte of flesh gene unto prest, other part poore people, , thirde unto neighbours. killers of sacrifice doo make readye other fragmentes sleves , compaynions feede on. neyther bound performe vow, if have not bene delivered possessed disease or peril. things them done condytionallye geve if thou willte graunt. lyke worshyppinge of god observed among gretians, armenians, , other realmes in asia imitating yet y christian religio.

in cappadocia (anatolia)

in late nineteenth century, greek christians of village of zele (sylata) in cappadocia sacrificed animals st. charalampus in time of illness. though greeks referred these sacrifices turkish term kurban, sacrificial practices went byzantine , pagan times evident several factors. referred these sacrifices ancient greek terms θυσία , θάλι. question of christian borrowing muslim kurban sacrifice restricted philological aspect, pagan sacrifice seems have remained lively , widespread in byzantine times.

in heracleopolis (anatolia)

one of spectacular examples of existence in byzantine anatolia sacrifice of fawn st. athenogenes @ pedachthoe/heracleopolis on july 17 (july 16). on day young animal , mother passed before altar of monastery church of st. athenogenes while gospels being read. fawn sacrificed, cooked, , eaten congregation , faithful celebrated glory of martyred saint. pagan usage of animal sacrifice survived in byzantine practice of slaughtering , roasting animals after celebration of ecclesiastical festivals.

in lesbos

in village of mistegna on lesbos, kourbania akindinoi saints on 1 of sundays following easter. on lesbos, bull sacrifice saint charalampus set on sunday in may, on mount taurus outside village of saint paraskevi.

in thrace

in village of mega monastiri in northeastern thrace, community used buy robust calves , raise them kourbania. these animals designated sacrifice never used farm labour. in instances, animal bathed , decorated flowers or ribbons, horns decorated strips of gold foil , led sacrifice through streets in joyous procession.

the village priest performed number of rites complete consecration of victim before killing, unlike practice in antiquity, act of killing animal no special office , can performed anyone. sacrifice followed festival. food festival prepared under supervision of churchwarden, , blessed priest before meal begins. in mega monastiri, these meals scene of gatherings of lineages or clans, each own stone table in churchyard, place of honour on eastern end of table reserved clan eldest.

the prayers said priest on victim have long tradition of attestation, dating @ least 8th century, establishing animal sacrifice long-standing within christian tradition, on @ least millennium.