Here in Denmark, we’re preparing for a nice, extended weekend, as tomorrow is Great Prayer Day (“Store Bededag”) and thus a day off. Incidentally, Great Prayer Day coincides with the international workers’ day on the 1st of May this year. So I thought, why not take a look at these two holidays and their traditions?
Store Bededag
Great Prayer Day was introduced way back in 1686 by Bishop Hans Bagger, who decided to bundle some of the smaller prayer days into one big day dedicated only to praying. It’s held each year on the fourth Friday after Easter, and is a public holiday in Denmark. Historically, nobody was allowed to work, so that everyone could concentrate on their fasting and prayers. It’s apparently also the only non-weekend day where Danish children can celebrate their “konfirmation” (we are invited for one, for instance).
Lune hveder
It’s become a tradition to eat warm wheat buns (“lune hveder” or “varme hveder”) on the eve of Great Prayer Day. This tradition started because – like everybody else – bakers were not allowed to work on Great Prayer Day. But people still had to eat, so the bakers came up with the idea of baking buns on the day before, which could then be reheated on Great Prayer Day – and so, the warm wheat buns were born. But we all know that bread and buns taste much better fresh out of the oven, so legend has it that people just couldn’t wait and instead ate them on the eve of Store Bededag instead, which is still a tradition today. So why not grab (or bake) some lune hveder and enjoy them with some butter and jam tonight? Although I’ve heard people say they are “literally the most boring type of bread out there”, I actually quite enjoy them - warmed up, with some nice cold butter, and maybe a bit of jam. They typically contain cardamom, but there are all sorts of different varieties out there, so you’re free to pick your personal favorite!
1st of May
The 1st of May has historically been a special day in the Northern Hemisphere, for various reasons. In some countries, such as England, it is celebrated as a spring fest, whereas Germany and other Northern European countries know the celebration of “Walpurgis Night”, or “witches night” from April 30th to May 1st, often with bonfires and the like. 1st of May was declared International Workers’ Day back in the 19th century, and is a national holiday in many countries, Denmark included – at least for traditionally more “blue collar” jobs. The Financial Services Union has negotiated a compensatory day off for those employed in the financial services industry, who traditionally don’t have May 1st off.
In Denmark, political events and speeches are held on May 1st, but they often resemble festivals rather than political rallies. The largest event in Copenhagen is held in Fælledparken, where people come out to enjoy the sun and maybe a picnic with a couple of beers.
Do you have any plans for the day? And are you eating some hveder tonight?
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