Pentecost Celebration in the Nagybereg Ethnographic Museum
The final session of the spring season was held at the Nagybereg Ethnographic Museum, where the Pro Cultura Subcarpathica organized a Pentecost-themed event on May 28.
Traditionally, the institution holds its season-closing event at the end of May. Schoolchildren arrived from Beregszász and Mezőkaszony, with two classes participating from each school.
The participants were welcomed by Adél Gál, the program coordinator of the museum, who also spoke to the children about the upcoming holiday. She noted that for the second year in a row, the session was based on the religious aspect of Pentecost and the biblical story behind it. The theme also inspired the skill-based games and craft activities, while traditional customs were also discussed. Accordingly, the children learned about the dove and the tongues of flame that appear in religious symbolism and represent the events of Pentecost. The green branch, another symbol associated with the holiday and a sign of nature’s renewal, was also mentioned.
At the beginning of the session, the story of the holiday was told by the organisers. Afterwards, the children were given a task related to the story. They had to search for fragments of the Pentecost story — written on pieces of paper hidden in the courtyard — and reassemble them into a complete narrative. The students from Mezőkaszony proved to be the quickest and most skillful, finding and assembling the story first. Their prize was a gift package filled with colored paper, pencils, modeling clay, chalk, and other small items, which the class could use throughout the school year.
The children were then able to choose from a variety of activities. Divided into smaller groups, they could participate in guided tours or take a walk in the József Szikura Botanical Garden. In the courtyard, they could try three different types of crafts. The children made Pentecost flowers and roses, as well as green branches decorated with symbols of Pentecost — doves and tongues of flame. They also had the chance to twist felt bracelets. Traditional folk games were also played and enjoyed enthusiastically.
At the end of the session, they were treated to some traditional Hungarian pastry accompanied by tea made from garden ingredients like elderflower and lemon balm.
The event was organized by the Pro Cultura Subcarpathica civil organization with the support of the Sándor Csoóri Fund and in professional partnership with the Carpathian Branch of the House of Traditions.