Dragobete is a traditional holiday in Moldova and Romania to celebrate love and spring every 24th February. This magical day brings together love, nature and ancient traditions to celebrate the start of spring. Immerse yourself in a world where hearts open and nature awakens!
Dragobete is considered a deity similar to Cupidon – the god of love in Roman mythology, or to the Greek Eros. It is thought that in Dacia, he was the patron saint of animals. People believed that on the day of Dragobete, nature awoke and the birds got engaged. Dragobete Day began to be seen as the most appropriate day for young boys and girls to start or develop relationships. In popular mythology, Dragobete (sometimes called Dragomir) was the son of Baba Dokia.
Love
On the day of the festival, the young men and women gathered outside the church and went into the forest to pick the first spring flowers. The girls collected the leftover snow, whose water was used for various ‘magical’ compositions and to cast spells.
Now, young men and women celebrate love and romance more soberly. Traditionally, boys give gifts to girls they admire, often flowers or symbolic objects. The girls, for their part, wear traditional clothes and adorn themselves with flowers, creating an atmosphere of beauty and purity.
Spring
Dagobete also marks the beginning of spring and the awakening of nature. People go out into the fields and forests to pick flowers and medicinal plants. It’s a time of renewal and connection with nature. The arrival of spring means that flowers such as snowdrops and violets appear, birds start to build their nests, and animals come out of hibernation. This is a crucial aspect of the cycle of life celebrated during Dagobete.
This holiday reminds us that spring is not only the awakening of nature, but also a time of new hopes, love and renewal of the soul.
