The Seim, an ancient tradition Bisiach
by Sergio Vittori 
When the days are short and cold, and nature seems dead now, on the evening of January 5th is celebrated the winter solstice by lighting bonfires. But let's look briefly the origin of this ancient custom in the countries Bisiach. During the excavations in the castle of Redipuglia around the thirties, were found six bronzes representing stylized human figure in an attitude of men and women bidders, dating between the fifth and fourth centuries BC. We do not know which gods were dedicated, as in this period Redipuglia castle was inhabited by a tribe of Eneti. Later, with the Celtic invasions, there were the first pagan gods of which we are known by name. Julius Caesar clearly states that the Celts were very religious, "Natio est omnis Gailorum admodum religionibus addict" (translation: 'The whole population is very dedicated to the Gallic religion "). The most common is
god Lug, with military and priestly functions, equate to Mercury by the Romans, were associated with this god and the gods Dagda Ogmios: Dagda represents the appearance of light, while Ogmios was the god who guided the souls in the hereafter. This triad of gods, however, found little following in our population in contrast to another god, named Belen, especially revered by Noricum (now Austria) and from Aquileia. The sun god is a god Beleno, comparable to Apollo, god we trace this back in the first century BC and is a Zuglio, in meat, both to Aquiieia. Leaf, near the Borgo Cornat, namely at the end of the old road that once led to Polazzo, just below the ancient castle Marchesetti which gave its name to "Castles of Polazzo," there is "Sas de San Bilin ". This is a large boulder-shaped head human, which are unfortunately ruined as a result of bombing in the First World War.
It is said about a legend that the area near the San Bilin, the dawn of time until the beginning of this century, the conference gave the witches and demons on the Sabbath, orgiastic meeting presided over by Satan, even in this Germanic sagas. But it is more likely that there was situated an ancient altar dedicated to the god Belen and the place is still remembered as the San Bilin. After the advent of Christianity, with the passage of time, the cult of the god Beleno was absorbed by the Christian. We know that two festivals were dedicated to this god in the first, namely that of summer solstice, propitiatory and bonfires were lit, with the advent of Christianity, this festival was dedicated to St. John the Baptist, baptism was as light-bearer for Christianity. In the area we
Bisiach track of this holiday Redipuglia where, until 1914, in the evening on the eve of June 24 were turned on the "Fires of St. John." The second holiday fell on January 6, and even on the eve of this auspicious day, bonfires are lit Beleno dedicated to the god. Later, with the advent of Christianity, the holiday turned into "Birth of Christ" and later, in the fourth century AD, Pope St. Julius (Although according to some scholars, was his successor Liberia) looked at the birth of Christ to the 25th day of December, the date it was dedicated by the Romans to "Christmas unconquered sun" when celebrating the resurgent sun, winner of darkness. On January 6, Epiphany was then set up and fire propitiatory, Seim called, first served to take the auspices on the vintage setting, as the old rhyme says: "Towards the east I Recolta bondant, if Sufia burin / pan and poc poc vin "and then, ideally to illuminate the journey of the Magi.
To commemorate this ancient custom of Seim, the people of Sacred Redipuglia, Turriff, Vermegliano, just to name a few countries Bisiacaria of the days preceding the evening of January 5 will give a lot of trouble to procure firewood and to build the bonfire epiphany and, as tradition dictates, then hoping to catch a glimpse of the glow of the flames the face of the mate and companion of the heart: the fire is in fact a symbol of life. See the flame grow slowly, observe the tongues of fire and devour the underbrush and tamosse in an atmosphere of joy and celebration, invites you to be carefree and forget their worries, all this produces a great feeling of participation, complicity and union that once tried, never forgotten and that gives the perception of not being alone anymore in this modern age, threatened by consumerism.
from a chronicle written by an unknown artist, as was lit siracconta Seima the leaf, the second half of the nineteenth century: "The Saints vizilia Three Kings in the evening the peasants prepared to Casel. I planted in four or zinque pai tera and sora meteva the woods, pairs and thorns, a bela fiamada to par. Terminada de sonar a Hail Mary Paron and the de parona home to inpizàva Casel, and was oservar if the flame went to the east or west, if he went towards the north, Iera ominous, if invesse went to Siroco, Iera bonaugurio. Terminada the fiamada, from a given distance from the bronze if the inzenociava and reciting the Rosary. Terms of pray, the parona, cun Holy Water This' de aquasantin teracota, was pal toc de camp, where the road had Iera Seim, at the time I'm in benidir and recite some prayers and some invocazion, como par example: "God sent puteleti, porzeleti God sent, God sent a poc de tut. After retreating to Magna tuti if the polenta.
Even today, in memory of this beautiful edantichissima tradition, the evening of January 5, in gardens and in the middle of the fields are lit Bisiacaria Seim: they are competing with the moon perdiradare the darkness of nature, large and small meet and, all together, huddle around bonfires, singing in choir, how many children Chesi basking in the warmth of a new life in the year just started.
(From "Lisonz" of Gen-2003, the magazine of the Cultural Bisiach)
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