No important you are Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Muslim or whatever religion Slav (Sarmat), you should celebrate SLAVA as did your ancestors >>>>
Important about SLAVA custom Serbians preserved from the days of old faith >
* A tradition that dates from the old days before Slavs accepted Christianity. Its remembrance of old pagan gods in a Chritizanize form. Patron (local) deity every Slavic house (clan) had Serbians turned into Christian Saints. Slava is one of the most important characteristics of Serbian tradition and it is even inscribed in UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists.
* If a Serb invites you to come to his home for Slava, consider self an honored
* The Slava is celebrated annually and it is transferred from generation to generation. It is meant to be celebrated at home, gathering family and friends in one place. Serbs use Slava as a great opportunity to meet and get together
* Sons inherit the patron saint from their fathers and women from their husbands.
* There are four elements that need to be on the table during Slava and those elements are Slava cake, candle, red wine and cooked wheat. People drink wine, beer, and rakija and they drink a lot.
* During his Slava, a host/master, man of house is not allowed to sit until midnight. He must serve his guests on his legs, standing and walking. Its to honor his ancestors that, as it is believed while he stands sit on his right shoulder and providing protection of the house until the next Slava day (next year)
Slava Cake must include firesteels
firesteels /in Serb. (OCILA - meaning `from fathers`)/ that are ancestral symbol of tool for burning the fire
The same symbol you have preserved on oldest coiuns of Polish kings >
Coin, DENAR of Polish King Mieszko, 992 AD
Cooked wheat Serbians call KOLJIVO which directly means `something that is slaughtered` /referring to animal sacrifice to gods/. In later times also sacrifice in plant food. KOLJIVO is word from time immemorial. Prepared wheat KOLJIVO also includes symbolism of firesteels (OCILO).
Firesteels are strongly correlated to the core of the ancestral faith that was fire and sun. Firesteels around the cross are direct reference to the sun and solstice and human balance with fundamental laws of nature.
Serbian coat of arms >