Beautiful Slovenian tradition of awaiting St Nicholas and his entourage: angels and devilsTraditional dress, decoration and the hatSt Nicholas giving gifts to the children of Slovenian Club Melbourne and their friends in 1959Traditionaly dressed St Nicholas with his Bishop's stickslovenian st nicholas, slovenian tradition, angels, devils, angeli, parkelji

Slovenian Club Melbourne participated many times at the Royal Melbourne Show with the musicians, dancers, folk dances, art and craft exhibitions. They were always warmly welcomed.The second Slovenian children of the first generations keeping up the traditionsColour photo of the large decorative heart with the Slovenian children in national costumes and boys playing piano accordions at the Royal Melbourne Show. The children are:Young generation of Slovenians, born in Australia, keeping the Slovenian traditionsslovenian traditions, slovenian national costume, slovenian music, slovenian polka

St Nicholas is an old Christian tradition all over the world and Slovenians are very diligently keeping the tradition. The children were given presents, lollies and oranges, sometimes toys as well.Handmade outfit for St Nicholas still in use todaySt Nicholas giving gifts to Slovenian children in a hall, accompanied by angels and devils, much feared by children. The St Nicholas was MrSt Nicholas dressed in a home made outfit made by Dragica Gomizel in late 1950s.st nicholas, sv miklavž, slovenian custom, slovenian tradition

The Slovenians enjoyed participation at the Royal Melbourne Show 1959 where they could showcase the Slovenian traditions, arts and crafts, and at times,culinary goodies as well.Traditional Slovenian crafts, national costume and the tourism jewel Lake BledSlovenian couple dressed in Slovenian national costume of Gorenjska region at the Royal Melbourne Show in 1959. The painting shows the tourist attraction Lake Bled and many traditional items of craft were placed in the exhibition as well. The man in the photo is Leopold Jalk.Couple dressed in Slovenian national costume, painting of Lake Bled and Slovenian traditional craftsslovenian national costume, slovenian crafts, lake bled, royal melbourne show

Slovenians of the Slovenian Club Melbourne loved to organise cultural evening with songs, poetry, dances and drama. The audience enjoyed every performance.Preservation of the Slovenian culture, language and traditionsBlack and white photograph Some members in the audience include: Fr Bazili Valentin, Leopold Jalikslovenian cultural evening, slovenian poetry, slovenian songs, slovenian drama, slovenian music

Slovenians always celebrate Easter and special celebrations were well attended: the church service and the Easter Monday picnicsKeeping the Slovenian traditions alive in AustraliaEaster celebrations invitation to the members of Slovenian Club Melbourne in 1958 with a cute illustrationslovenian easter, slovenian traditions, easter monday picnic

When St Nicholas visits every year, the angels help him to give presents to the good children and the naughty are taken and frightened by the red-clothed devils with chains. Slovenians all over the world keep this tradition.A special tradition, adapted in every nations to their need and possibilietsBlack and white photo of St Nicholas with Slovenian children (and adults) held every year in first week of December. He was accompanied by the angels and devils.Traditional Slovenian customs celebrated every yearst nicholas, sv miklavž, celebration, angels, devils

The lake surrounds Bled Island (Blejski otok). The island has several buildings, the main one being the pilgrimage church dedicated to the Assumption of Mary (Cerkev Marijinega vnebovzetja), built in its current form near the end of the 17th century, and decorated with remains of Gothic frescos from around 1470 in the presbyterium and rich Baroque equipment. The church has a 52 m (171 ft) tower and there is a Baroque stairway dating from 1655 with 99 stone steps leading up to the building. The church is frequently visited and weddings are held there regularly. Traditionally it is considered good luck for the groom to carry his bride up the steps on the day of their wedding before ringing the bell and making a wish inside the church. The traditional transportation to Bled Island is a wooden boat known as a pletna. The word pletna is a borrowing from Bavarian German Plätten 'flat-bottomed boat'. Some sources claim the pletna was used in Lake Bled as early as 1150 AD, but most historians date the first boats to 1590 AD. Similar in shape to Italian gondolas, a pletna seats 20 passengers. Modern boats are still made by hand and are recognizable by their colorful awnings. Pletna oarsman employ the stehrudder technique to propel and navigate boats across the lake using two oars. The role of the oarsman dates back to 1740, when Empress Maria Theresa granted 22 local families exclusive rights to ferry religious pilgrims across Lake Bled to worship on Bled Island. The profession is still restricted. Many modern oarsman descend directly from the original 22 families. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_BledDigital photographlake bled, church, stairway, steps, slovenia, stone, tradition