Paper Short Abstract:

This paper investigates the various Romanian rural traditions surrounding sudden death, in order to give a better understanding of the proliferation of memorials in Bucharest, since 1989.

Paper Abstract:

Since 1990, Bucharest has witnessed a significant increase in the number of memorials erected in places where people suddenly and unexpectedly lost their lives (mostly, but not exclusively, due to traffic accidents). This can be explained by a combination of historical, psychological and traditional factors. In previous studies I explored the historical context (related to the fall of communism and the return of religious freedom of expression that followed) of this increased memorialization and I discussed the psychological impact that the death of many young victims of the ”1989 revolution” had on the society. In this paper I focus on various rural traditions, some of them still ongoing, related to the sudden, thus an unexpected and unprepared for death.

Sudden death memorials are a culturally determined form of grief expression related to religious practices and beliefs regarding the soul and the afterlife. The religious context in which it is situated is, however, complex, due to the cultural diversity of the urban population. Aside from the conventional orthodox traditions relating to death, remnants of various ancient folk practices and beliefs are involved. These aspects of memorialization form a rather homogenous mixture, which nevertheless, allows for the identification of some specific local characteristics. Investigating sudden death memorials in Bucharest not only provides a window into contemporary Romanian society, with its recent accelerated transformation, but also its constant, strong religious faith.