THE ADVENT CULT OF THE VIRGIN MARY IN CONTEMPORARY FOLK TRADITION: SORUCES FROM MORAVIA (Adventni kult Panny Marie v soucasne lidove tradici: Prameny z Moravy)

The study contains a comparison of three local variations of the folk custom and domestic pilgrimage. It presents Catholic folk worship during the period of Advent, which is initiated by women of the older and middle generations. In the center of this worship is the honoring of the Virgin Mary. Women carry a statue of the Virgin Mary from house to house, where the family takes it in and prays to it. The following evening it travels to another family. The entire custom is based on the principle of a dialogue with the Virgin Mary. It takes place in three stages, by form of word and song: invitation and acceptance of Virgin Mary into the home, prayer and farewell.