Поштанска марка „Традиција“
Поште Српске су данас, 20. јануара, пустиле у продају пригодно издање поштанске марке „Традиција“ са мотивом Св. Јована Крститеља.
Krsna slava is an Orthodox Serbian custom that represents one of the main features of the Orthodox faith among Serbs. On that day, a saint is celebrated who is the protector and intercessor in front of God, of the family that celebrates him. There are different opinions about where only Serbs in the Christian world have Slava. Some historians and ethnologists (given that the Serbs were polytheists before adopting Christianity) believe that Slava in Christianity is a substitute for the respect to local Gods, which each tribe or family had. Others believe that Slava is related to the date of the mass Christianization of Serbian tribes in the 9th century, when in memory of that event they began to celebrate the saint who was celebrated at that time or whom they chose as their protecter.
However, the question arises as to how other Slavic peoples, who were also polytheists and later adopted Christianity, do not have Krsna slava? All this, as well as some historical data, indicate that it was only from the time of St. Sava, through his efforts and dedication, that the Krsna slava became a generally accepted and rooted custom among Orthodox Serbs.
The celebration of the Krsna slava in 2014 was also included in the UNESCO Register of Intangible Cultural Heritage as the first cultural asset from Serbia to be inscribed on that list.
“Among other Orthodox people, they celebrate their name day or their birthday, and we, here, celebrate our Krsna slava. In fact, Slava is both a name day and a birthday, but not of an individual, but of an entire family, an entire tribe. A spiritual birthday, when our ancestors became Christians, entered the Church of God and were thus born spiritually. And a name day, because from then on they called themselves Christians and have been so to this day,” this is how Serbian Patriarch Pavle spoke about the Krsna slava.
The Serbian Orthodox Church and believers celebrate one of the most common Krsna slava among Serbs on January 20th - Saint Jovan the Baptist, also known as Jovan the Forerunner. Jovan is called the Baptist because, according to religious teaching, he baptized Jesus Christ in the Jordan River, and the Forerunner because he announced the coming of Christ.
Saint Jovan is an example of firm and unwavering faith, honesty, courage and truthfulness.
Author: Danijela Popovic
Publisher: Poste Srpske a.d. Banjaluka