Traditional blessing of horses to give thanks for animals
Like 1 Dislike 0 Published on 30 Jul 2015
(6 Jan 2012) SHOTLIST
1. Various of people in horsedrawn carts heading to Epiphany celebrations
2. Various of men arranging harness on horse
3. Mid of priest dipping branch into water bucket to baptise horses, in time-honoured tradition
4. Priest baptising horses by sprinkling holy water on them
5. Wide of horses being ridden to be baptised
6. SOUNDBITE (Romanian) Priest Dumitru, baptising horses in Petrosani:
"This is our ancient ritual, we gather here every year. Today it is not only God's baptism but the baptism of every being. And we especially keep this tradition of baptising the horses."
7. Various of man riding horse towards Priest Dumitru for baptism
8. SOUNDBITE (Romanian) Calin Florin, horse rider bringing horse to be baptised:
"We are here for a better New Year start, we ask God for a better life, for health for both the animals and for us humans to be able to take care of them."
9. Close up of Calin's horse
10. Wide of Calin saluting his friends
11. Close of Puiu, a white horse being arranged for baptism
12. Wide of Puiu and horse rider Catalin Ristea
13. Horses being baptised
14. SOUNDBITE (Romanian) Catalin Ristea, agricultural worker bringing horse to be baptised:
"The horses have always helped us and our ancestors gain their daily bread. They have always helped us to work the fields and in our day to day activities."
15. Various of horse race
16. Cutaway horse hoof marks in the wet ground
17. Various of horse race
18. Wide of crowd celebrating
19. Various of meatballs being prepared
STORYLINE
Some 1,000 people gathered in the Romanian village of Petrosani on Friday for a traditional Epiphany blessing of the horses, to give thanks for the animals' help in the village, which lies some 50 kilometres (31 miles) north of the capital Bucharest.
Orthodox priests "baptised" more than a dozen horses, sprinkling them with holy water, and then the horses took part in impromptu competitions, cheered on by villagers.
"The horses have always helped us and our ancestors gain their daily bread. They have always helped us to work the field and in day to day activities," said agricultural worker Catalin Ristea.
His horse Puiu, orphaned as a foal, was fed from a bottle after his mother died.
A tiny Shetland pony was the star of the show, as it doggedly pulled a cart weighed down with some 10 locals.
Epiphany is a Christian festival, observed on January 6, which commemorates Christ's baptism by John the Baptist.
Friday's celebration was crowned by a horse race.
Riders without hats, saddles or stirrups charged across the misty fields, cheered on by locals.
Villagers ate spicy meatballs cooked on an open grill and washed down with red wine to celebrate the feast day, while children had candy floss.
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