BIBLICAL TOPONYMS IN THE CEREMONIAL TEXTS FROM THE RITUAL OF COLINDAT IN THE VALLEY OF ALMĂJ, THE CARAŞ-SEVERIN COUNTY
BIBLICAL TOPONYMS IN THE CEREMONIAL TEXTS FROM THE RITUAL OF COLINDAT IN THE VALLEY OF ALMĂJ, THE CARAŞ-SEVERIN COUNTY

Summary/Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to discuss several biblical toponyms that are present in the ceremonial texts (carols, Star songs, religious songs) specific to the winter holidays from Valea Almăjului, Caraş-Severin county. We will focus, of all these, on the following place names: Bethleem (with the formal variants Vitleem, Vifleem, Vicleem), Eden, Jerusalem (with the variant Rusalim), as well as the river Jordan, as the place for the baptism of Jesus Christ – the main character of Christmas. Besides the occurences of the names mentioned according to biblical writings, the attribution of some symbols (as constitutive elements of the concrete represented notions) is sometimes to be noted; also, the transpositions in contexts with personifications or adaptations to the traditional Romanian reality for these toponyms. As characteristic forms of the oral creation – due to their transmission through speaking –, in the traditional village community, carols or Star songs present a large variety which has been noted in the texts collected from the studied area.

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