Religious Feasts and the Soviet Regime: The Case of Cross-Days and May Devotions

Abstract

This paper looks at two Catholic spring feasts: Cross-days (three
days before the Ascension Day) and devotions to the Blessed Virgin Mary
during the May month (May Devotions). By the middle of the twentieth
century, these two feasts were celebrated in rural areas throughout
Lithuania. The local community regulated and controlled both feasts by
setting their start time, the ceremonial practices followed, the scenario,
and the route. Both feasts experienced significant difficulties in Soviet
times, during which Cross-days completely disappeared from the ritual
calendar, while May Devotions were organised and celebrated secretly
in private family spaces. This article addresses the question of what led
to the disappearance of one feast and the survival of the other, drawing
on field research data collected by the author since 2003.