By Maria Sidelnikova, exclusively for Vestnik Kavkaza
Every year in the second half of November, Ossetians mark Jeorguba days in the honor of St. George, one of the main Christian saints worshipped in Ossetia, also known as Wuastyrji in the Ossetian language. Traditionally, every Ossetian family should prepare a full table to gather relatives and friends. The elder man prays for the glory of the Lord and the feast. Three ritual pies with cheese and meat of a sacrificed animal are a must on the table.
Alexander Dzasokhov, one of the most well-known natives of Ossetia in Moscow, marks the feast with his relatives for the 10th year in a row. The celebrations took place at the hospitable restaurant of the Central House of Actors. Vladimir Baroyev, Director of the House, knows all the details of the traditions of his compatriots and follows them. As usual, this year, natives of different ethnicities of Russia and other states have become guests of the feast. Dzasokhov’s keynote is as follows: “St. George consolidates people, ethnicities and confessions for positive goals, in other words, for overcoming discords and for unification of all people on Earth.”
The guests seen at the celebrations included Yevgeny Primakov, a member of the presidium of the RAS, Feofan, the Metropolitan of Chelyabinsk and Zlatoust, Iosif Kobzon, a member of the Russian parliament and People’s Artist of the USSR, Sergey Lebedev, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the CIS, Zurab Tsereteli, President of the Russian Academy of Arts, Leonid Roshal, head of the Children’s Traumatology Clinic, Ilyas Umakhanov, Deputy Speaker of the Federation Council of Russia, representatives of the Azerbaijani and Armenian diasporas in Moscow, authorities of the Russian Foreign Ministry and public organizations.
Rezo Chkheidze, a film director and People’s Artist of the USSR, said that the St. George feast was consolidating peoples, including the Ossetian and Georgian. He has always been an internationalist and critic of disputes between neighbours. Valery Kabolov, head of the Ossetian community of Moscow, and Amerkhan Torchinov, head of the council of elders, spoke for good-neighbour relations and unity.
The celebrations lasted for hours and was filled with bright hopes for the future of Russia and neighbour states. The Alania Choreographic Group performed Ossetian dances.
