“Oath crosses” in Gorj county
(Unique custom in Romania – How peasants from the Şușița and Gilort Valleys who commit perjury are redeemed after death)
On the side of the roads in several Gorje villages or even on the trunks of trees there are wooden crosses of different colours, painted with different religious figures. They are “oath crosses”, where, according to tradition, the souls of the dead relatives would rest.
Travelers who pass through the southern part of Gorj county will be surprised to see strange crosses in various villages, scattered on the side of the road, and sometimes even placed among the trees. These crosses may be found in the Şuşiţa Valley or the Gilort Valley, in localities such as Vladimir, Licurici, Aninoasa, Hurezani, Jupâneşti or Stejari.
On most crosses the following expression is found: “Cross for the serf of God” or “The serf of God is commemorated”. Thus, for each deceased, the family puts up an “oath cross“.
„Oath crosses” are also called the “house of the soul” because, according to folk tradition, the soul, after leaving the body, wanders through familiar places for 40 days. After its pilgrimage, the soul would rest at the wooden oath cross. Thus, the villagers go, 40 days after the death of the loved one, and place these crosses at the gate, which practically double the usual ones, placed in the cemetery, on the graves.
FOR THE ABSOLUTION OF SOULS
In the Licurici commune of Gorj county, “oath crosses ” are found everywhere, not only in cemeteries, but also on the side of the roads or in front of houses. There are crosses that last for hundreds of years. The locals keep this custom with sanctity, even if they don’t know its meanings very well. They only know that “it is good” or “that’s how it was inherited” and they follow this ancestral ritual to the letter.
“They are erected for the people who die. The “oath crosses” are placed at the gate of the house, and the memorial ones at the cemetery. This is the custom in our commune to forgive those who go to the other world. I myself made such crosses. Everyone gives as much as they want when they do such a cross”, says Aurel, 62 years old.
On major holidays, the family of the deceased and memorialized person come and light candles in the cemetery, at the memorial cross and at the oath cross. „Two crosses are made. One is placed at the head of the dead – which is a memorial one – and the other is erected elsewhere. They are erected after six weeks. It is said that every person takes an oath when they die, and so it was handed down from father to son. I made two ” oath crosses ” for my parents. We let the old ones rot. It is not good to take them from their place. It has been this tradition for as long as I can remember. And our parents did the same. On holidays, we come and light candles “, 71-year-old Florica Dobromir explains.
Another custom still preserved in these Gorj villages is that each well has an icon, which is placed there only after it has been consecrated. “It is the icon of the fountain. When a well is made, the priest comes and sanctifies it. Then an icon is placed and the priest performs a service to sanctify the well. Nine rolls and nine cups are added”, explains Florica Dobromir.
THE PAINTER OF THE “OATH CROSSES “
In the Licurici commune, there are several locals who are in charge of painting “oath crosses”. “Don’t go to Victor! He makes cartoons. It’s not that good. Go to Ol’ Dan, who is also a bell ringer”, some locals urge us. Ol’ Dan lives across a small stream. He hardly admits that he is in charge of painting “oath crosses”, probably out of fear of the “anti-fraud” division that scared more people than owners.
“I haven’t painted such crosses lately. Drawing has been a passion of mine since childhood. I did not attend special courses, nor did anyone teach me. I simply liked it. There was a time when I was very fond of it, but now I let it go. People come and ask me to paint their crosses. Everyone gives as much as they want, 10-20 or 30 lei. People are poor here. I also ring the bells at the church, someone has to take care of that too”, says Ol’Dan.
The mayor of Licurici commune, Liviu Drăgulescu, also explains that the custom of ” oath crosses ” is preserved with sanctity by the locals and that an “oath cross” is erected for each deceased person. “In our area, the tradition is preserved by everyone, they raise an “oath cross” for the deceased. People do not know very well the meaning of this custom. I just know that this is good and keep it. Few know that they are made for the forgiveness of the sins of those who have lied during their lives. I think that everyone has told at least one lie in their life, so ” oath crosses ” are made for all the dead”, says the mayor.
“In Ţicleni, my native village, this custom does not exist. Here I learned about it from the locals. “Oath crosses” have several meanings in this area. Some villagers say that everyone in life committed perjury and this cross has the role of absolving them of those oaths, others say that it is a memorial cross placed on the side of the road for passers-by to remember the one who passed away. Crosses are also placed, but smaller in size, in the trees, at the wells that are dug up – that is, they are sanctified six weeks after the death. We have such crosses in the courtyard of some churches. Most of them are, however, on the side of the road, explains priest Ţicleanu.
THE MĂCEŞU MUSEUM OF CROSSES
Ethnologist Pompiliu Ciolacu studied the meanings of different types of crosses: “Oath crosses are made for the forgiveness of sins in the other world of the deceased who lied during their life or committed perjury. Other types of crosses can be found in the communes in the south of the county. There are head crosses, placed at the grave of the dead, but there are also passage crosses, placed next to bridges, or waters, reminding that there is a passage there, with more interesting symbols, depending on the specifics of the area , but their role is to wash away sins. There would also be the spring crosses, which are usually placed near a water.
Several years ago, Pompiliu Ciolacu had the idea of founding a museum of crosses. Thus, he collected over 130 crosses of different kinds, some hundreds of years old, and took them to the village of Măceşu, near the town of Târgu Cărbuneşti. Thus, the Gorj Museum of Crosses was created, which is unique in Romania. “The inner and outer parts have been completed. A concrete pedestal will be made for the crosses, so that they are no longer buried in the ground and rot. There are memorial crosses for our great people of culture and politics. The museum will probably never be ready, because every year we will bring more crosses. There is not enough space. It is at the beginning and we hope that the notoriety will increase from one year to the next”, concludes the ethnologist.
Contributor: Gorj County Culture Directorate
