Yesterday the Macedonians celebrated an old Orthodox Holiday called The Day of Forgiveness, or Prochka. I have really enjoyed learning about their holidays since living here. Understanding their holidays and customs gives me insight into their culture and belief system. Prochka is the beginning of Easter celebrations (or Lent Fast) and it includes Christian and pagan customs.
On this day each year, grown daughters and sons visit their parent's homes to ask them for forgiveness for anything they have did wrong against their parents. They take their parents something sweet, like cookies, and some coffee to show their parents respect. Pepi told me that now days the children don't literally ask their parents for forgiveness anymore. They just take the sweets as a gift and that symbolizes that they want to be forgiven. They of course will kiss and hug their parents. They are very affectionate people.
Also on this day there are carnivals in different Macedonian cities. There are parades with many masked people. I've watched some YouTube clips about this holiday to see what it's all about. I've never been to Mardi Gras but this does seem similar.
We love visiting with this precious family in Topanna. Topanna is a Roma section in Skopje. Sawyer has a blast when he gets to go too! They feed him lots of cookies and dance around the house. Actually you can probably tell in the top picture that he is stuffing his face. I am close friends with the lady in the pink stripped shirt. We are very close in age. We talk, laugh, and study together. It's always an encouraging time for me. Eric visits with her husband and brother-in-law (the father of the two boys sitting on the sofa with Sawyer and the girl). We are thankful that this family is always so warm and inviting to us. Please pray for the little girl in the red shirt. She has a heart problem. Her parents are very worried for her.
