Daily Archives: January 14, 2023

Vasilica, sometimes also called Bango Vasil, is celebrated all over the Balkans by Roma, be they Christians or Moslems.

Vasilica has been celebrated for a long time, as it is the “Old New-Year” of the Christian Orthodox calendar.

Nebojša Demirović Zeka from Vranje, Serbia, says that his great-grandfather told me that once upon a time, the Čergari Roma crossed some water. Their boats began to sink, and the geese saved them. Since that day, Vasilica is celebrated, while the goose is sacrificed.

The holiday is celebrated for health and happiness. It starts between January 13 and 14, and is celebrated for the next three days.

• Vasilica, dan kad su guske spasile Rome. In: VOM. 13.01.2023. https://vom.rs/vesti/drustvo/vasilica-dan-kad-su-guske-spasile-rome/