Cecilie
1 comment November 10th, 2006
Posts filed under 'Cecilie'
Sankthans aften
Sankthansaften is widely celebrated in Norway on the longest day of the year (midsummer’s eve), the day that the sun turns. People gather around large bonfires and barbecues are held all over the country. These fires date back to pagan days, and some superstitions surrounding them state that the bonfires will protect people from evil spirits and witches. I read somewhere that during the occupation it actually freaked out the Germans who where not familiar with this custom and thought that the bonfires where a signal to the British and that an attack was imminent.
Sankthans was named after John the Baptist (Saint Johannes). Older people call it Jonsok, which means Johannes wake. Those names are a result of the church trying to transform a pagan custom into a Christian one. The birthday of John the Baptist is believed to fall on the longest day of the year (June 24th). Today in Norway, the celebration is mainly a secular one.
2 comments June 23rd, 2006
Cecilie in Sunnmørsposten
Cecilie appeared in a local newspaper. She was interviewed in relation with the intensive care unit where Mia and Ami are lying. The unit won an award for being ‘Mother and child friendly’, which basically means that they do their outmost to facilitate the breastfeading of premature babies. Breastfeading is an official religion in Norway, you must know.
The PDF-version (requires Adobe Reader) of the newspaper can be downloaded here (8Mb). You’ll find the article on page 4.
1 comment February 25th, 2006