In early December, Christians in many countries celebrate the Feast of St Nicholas — known in Czechia as "Mikulas." DW visited a village in the southeast of the country to watch this centuries-old tradition in action.
00:00As the sun rises on this December morning, a group of young volunteers in the village of Valeska Polanka in southeastern Czechia
00:10gathers to prepare for a centuries-old tradition they honour every year, the Feast of Saint Nicholas or Mikulash.
00:17Depending on their allocated role, they dress as Saint Nicholas, an angel or a devil, collect their props and get into character,
00:24ready to bring joy, or indeed fear, to the people of the village.
00:2924-year-old Patrick Pilčík is playing the part of a devil.
00:33He's been part of the tradition since he was 17 years old.
00:40Yeah, I think it's so matters because this tradition is more than 100 years old, so we need to keep them running.
00:47It's the beginning of the Christmas time, so people will start recognising that the Christmas are closed.
00:54There are a lot of Christians and it's part of the, you know, Catholic.
00:59When there's fun through the day and all the stuff, the people are motivated to go and they are happy that they can, you know, be part of it.
01:08Because you just take a free day in the work and you have a Saturday and Sunday and you forget about the things you have in your life and just enjoy.
01:18It's easy to spot Mikuláš, as Saint Nicholas is called in Czechia.
01:22He's the one with a long white beard, dressed as a bishop and carrying a bishop's staff.
01:27He comes bearing gifts for those who have been well behaved.
01:30He is traditionally accompanied by a devil and an angel.
01:34Or, in the case of Válaska Polanka, a whole group of angels and devils.
01:39The devils traditionally wear black, are often covered in fur and usually have red or black horns.
01:45Their role is to act as a warning to the children who have misbehaved, sometimes with threats of taking them away in a sack.
01:52The group goes from house to house in the village, visiting families with children.
01:58The children often sing a song or recite a poem before receiving their treats.
02:03It's a big tradition for our family, so every year we are waiting for that and it's a very nice tradition for us.
02:31When I was a child, I was scared every time, so now it's better.
02:38The group then jogs through the streets of the village, where some older children are waiting.
02:43At this point, things get more boisterous and more playful.
02:48The children run through the streets with the devils chasing after them.
02:53My children have to be like very good children during the whole year, because if not, then the mikulas with the devil will take them to hell.
03:04What I remember, its masks are always the same, the old masks still go on in this tradition, so it's the same.
03:12It is very important for our culture because, you know, when we will forget tradition, it won't be us anymore.
03:19Patrick Pilčík says that while many people believe this tradition can be frightening for the children, others argue that confronting fear in a controlled setting is a healthy part of childhood development.
03:30He says that children often carry these memories with them into adulthood.
03:35It's not about scaring children. We are doing this for the children.
03:40I don't remember any situation when someone was trying to scare some children. You can see it on the face.
03:46For Patrick Pilčík, this ritual is more than just costumes, props and a performance.
03:52It's a tradition he himself grew up with, and one he is now helping to pass on to the next generation.
03:58As the devil in disguise, he's a guardian of a tradition that continues to shape childhood memories in the village of Balaska Polanka.
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