| T R A D I T I O N S |
3 F E B R U A R Y
Jurii Kirnev’s birthday is the most important holiday in the family calendar. Each year a special celebration is held on this date. Though the festivities vary, candles are always lit throughout the ancestral château, and the brightest observances and family rituals take place in an intimate circle or among the closest invited guests.
2 M A R C H
The Night of the Vow. Jurii Kirnev and Alexandra Kirnev mark this night as a special celebration in honour of their first meeting, when he placed a silver ring on her finger and declared her his fiancée. It is a night of unbreakable vows. Red wine is drunk, with different varieties blended into a single vessel as a symbol of unity.
21 M A R C H
The Vernal Equinox, when day and night are equal in length. The Kirnev family observes this astronomical date as the end of winter and the beginning of preparations for summer. The celebration is always kept modest and takes place beneath the open sky.
24 A P R I L
The Day of the Founding of the Kirnev Family. On this date Zahar Kirnev and Nadezhda Avetisian were married, establishing the principal branch of the family. It is marked with a grand feast and special rituals held within the close family circle. The festivities continue until the next celebration.
30 A P R I L
The Night of the Great Fire and Purification. One of the oldest family traditions, centred on rituals preserved for several thousand years. On this night great bonfires are lit and burn until dawn. Loud music plays, wine is drunk, and a lamb is roasted over the fire beneath the open sky. The family dances through the night and washes in the dew at dawn. By tradition, everything said or done before this moment is consumed by the flames and reduced to the ashes of the past; a new life then begins.
6 J U N E
Alexandra Kirnev’s birthday. In honour of this significant date, candles are lit in the family château and vibrant feasts with private rituals are held for family members and close invited friends. Each celebration unfolds differently, yet always with particular refinement and beauty.
21 J U N E
The Summer Solstice, when the sun reaches its zenith and the day is the longest of the year. The Kirnev family celebrates this astronomical occasion beneath the open sky, watching the shadows lengthen beyond the objects themselves. In the evening a bonfire is lit, music is played, and dancing takes place around the flames in observance of ancient family rituals.
1 S E P T E M B E R
Evgeny Kirnev’s birthday. A vibrant feast is held at the family château and candles are lit in honour of the occasion.
21 S E P T E M B E R
The Autumnal Equinox, when day and night are once again equal in length. The Kirnev family marks this date with particular modesty, bidding farewell to summer and beginning preparations for winter. It is also regarded as special, for it initiates the cycle of major family celebrations that continue until the end of the year.
5 O C T O B E R
The Black Wedding. One of the most significant and magnificent celebrations in the family, marking the wedding day of Jurii Kirnev and Alexandra Kirnev. The occasion is observed with particular refinement and beauty. All the candles in the château are lit, the finest red wines are brought out, music fills the ballroom, and elegant dances are performed. By night, the most important private family rituals take place.
31 O C T O B E R
All Hallows’ Eve. On this night, when the boundary between the world of the living and the world of the dead dissolves, the Kirnev family remembers their departed relatives. While observances continue throughout the month, it is on this night that the cycle reaches its conclusion. Special candles are lit and secret rituals are performed. The evening is also given to divination and foretelling the future, for the spirits of the departed are believed never to err and to wish only the best.
This date also holds a second significance for the Kirnev family, as it was on this night that Jurii Kirnev first saw the portrait of Alexandra, his future wife. Therefore, alongside the All Hallows' Eve, this date is also regarded as the beginning of an immortal love.
27 N O V E M B E R
Zahar Kirnev’s birthday is celebrated within the family circle and among the closest invited guests with a grand feast. Candles are lit and the finest bottles of red wine are opened. The celebration always unfolds differently, yet each time with particular grandeur.
This date also marks the beginning of the correspondence between Jurii Kirnev and Alexandra Kirnev and the start of their mutual love.
5 D E C E M B E R
Krampus Night. A celebration observed by the Kirnev family according to old Austro-Hungarian traditions. Special costumes are worn, gifts are exchanged, and frightening stories are told within the intimate family circle. It is the children’s most beloved occasion. By night, presents are given and special rituals are performed in honour of the long winter evenings.
21 D E C E M B E R
The Winter Solstice, when the sun reaches its lowest point and the night is the longest of the year. The Kirnev family lights candles in every room of the château. A grand feast is held within the intimate family circle and among the closest invited friends. Gifts are exchanged, music is played, and special rituals are performed in honour of Karachun. This occasion begins the sequence of celebrations that continues through the following days and leads up to the New Year.
31 D E C E M B E R
The New Year celebration in the Kirnev family is a continuation of the previous festivities; however, it is on New Year’s Eve that the feast reaches its height. Within the family circle and among the closest invited friends, exquisite gifts are exchanged and best wishes are offered for the coming year. By tradition, the night always concludes with a vivid fireworks display over the family château.
10 J A N U A R Y
Nadezhda Kirnev’s birthday is always celebrated within the family circle with a most unusual feast, as she prefers the most exquisite dishes prepared in her honour. The celebration unfolds differently each year, yet is always marked by vibrancy and beauty.