Slovak Culture

A look at all aspects of Slovak culture.

Thumbnail image for July 5th – Cyril and Metod Day

Cyril and Metod were Greek Christian missionaries who influenced the cultural development of the Slavs and are credited with bringing Christianity to Slovakia. Image via Flickr Cyril, who is also known under the name of Konstantin, invented a slav writing ‘hlaholica’ and translated evangelic readings and other books of worship ...

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Thumbnail image for Great Night Monday (Easter Monday)

On Easter Monday, in Slovakia, boys from the village would pour water over the girls and in Western Slovakia the boys would also whip the girls with thin willow branches. If the girls wanted to stay beautiful, healthy and full of life throughout the year, they would have to gracefully ...

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Thumbnail image for Slovak Easter Traditions – A look at a traditional Easter in Slovakia

Easter is a very important time of the year in Slovakia, as you would expect from such an extremely Christian country. However, as well as being a religious festival, Easter in Slovakia is also a time of tradition. The next series of articles looks at the six important days of ...

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Thumbnail image for Slovakia festival – The Three Kings

The Slovakia festival, the Three Kings is a holiday of obligation in Slovakia, on the 6th January, in honour of the Three Wise Men, who came to bow before the newly born, baby Jesus. In the past, this day was celebrated with people going round houses in the village, dressed ...

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Thumbnail image for Saint Mikuláš Day

On the evening of the 5th December, children across Slovakia are busy cleaning their boots – the bigger the better – in anticipation of a visit from Saint Mikuláš. Bishop Mikuláš lived in the fourth century and was famous for his generosity, especially to children and the poor. The 6th ...

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Thumbnail image for The Witches’ Days – St. Katarina

It is in the night that the witches make their mischief! Traditionally in Slovakia, the first of the so called Witches’ Days falls on the 25th November, St. Katarina’s Day. In the past, people believed that from then, up until the 21st of December, evil powers in the form of ...

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Thumbnail image for All Saints Day

Halloween may be a big holiday in the UK and an even bigger one in the States, but here in Slovakia it is actually the following day that is celebrated more. All Saints Day is a public holiday in the Slovak Republic and a chance to remember the dead. Throughout ...

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