S. Lackovits Emőke: Az egyházi esztendő jeles napjai, ünnepi szokásai a bakonyi és Balaton- felvidéki falvakban (Veszprém, 2000)

Festivals, holidays and customs of the ecclesiastical year

paper and decorated with evergreen. In Bánd and Herend, they have birch rods in their hands. The players wore white costumes, and still do today, decorated with blue and pink ribbons. The angels have ornamented wreaths on their heads, the shepherds have red bishop's mitres. The latter have raise moustaches and beards made from hemp, and have satchels hanging on their shoulders for donations. In the costumes of the players, there are differences in the decorations on the front of the jerkin or blouse, the colours of the aprons, and the head-dress of the Christkindl, also in the use of the waistcoat and shawl. The film was taken in Herend. The play consists of the following episodes: - asking permission to enter - opening song or greeting - sung introduction - putting accessories of all players on the table - welcome and praise to Jesus - singing Christmas songs - blessing of the small or large angel, or Mary in certain places, above the crib by drawing three circles with the apple and rosemary - Blessing of Mary - more rarely, the large angel - on the household - thrashing of the household - in places, a procession round the room - all join in a song, farewell, Potzmanns' dance in certain places - placing of presents - usually money - in the satchel The most important part of the play is the blessing, which provides the purpose and meaning of the whole, in several places, while the Christmas songs are being sung, the Christkindl goes out and brings in the Christmas tree and presents for the children from a place indicated by the hostess. The Christkindlspiel comes to an end at the church, where the apple and rosemary are placed on the altar. In Herend, all the accessories of the play are placed on the altar of Mary, and are only taken home at Candlemas. The drama has undergone changes in the course of time, and has taken up various custom elements. In this way, the fertility spell, the birching to drive away evil, has been included. The symbols expressed by the accessories are worth noticing, together with the associated magical acts such as touching and enclosing within a circle. The sung section consists of rich, well-constructed, long sections of text which are linked one to another, in which may be discovered the influence of the church, but also the spirit of Biedermeier. ///. Wine consecration Besides the sacraments, the Church has also given holy signs to the faithful, which among other things ensure the consecration of certain objects and their usage which are important to man. In a similar way to the sacraments, these receive their power from the Easter mystery of Christ's death on the cross and res-