March

An ancient Greek and Balkan tradition is the “Martinitsa”, or “Martis”.  It is believed to have originated in Ancient Greece and specifically in the Eleusinian mysteries. According to custom, on March the 1^st mothers wear on the wrist of their children a bracelet made of twisted white and red thread as a ritual to protect them from the first sun of spring.

The red and white woven threads symbolize the wish for good health. They are the heralds of the coming of spring and of new life. While white as a color symbolizes purity, red is a symbol of life and passion, so the custom in its very origins, might have reminded people of the constant cycle of life and death, the balance of good and evil, and the sorrow and happiness in human life. The Martenitsa is also a stylized symbol of Mother Nature, the white symbolizing the purity of the melting white snow and the red the setting of the sun, which becomes more and more intense as spring progresses. These two natural resources are the source of life. Happy March !Happy Spring!