Candle casting

 

Duration: 1-1.5 hour
For:  people aged 7 to 99
Place: similar to an authentic nineteenth-century Lithuanian peasant house
Moderator: head of educations E. Petrauskaitė and ethnographer R. Jotautienė
Location: the Museum of Prienai Region, 13 F. Martišiaus St, Prienai
Visiting time: a visit can be prearranged by calling +370 656 37554Minimum number of participants: 10
Fee: 4 euro for children, pupils and students; 5 euros for adults
Participants of the educational program will be introduced to bee products and will find out how people used to cast candles in the past, how they prepared wax, which thread was used to make a wick. Programme participants will try candle casting themselves and learn what means of lighting were used in Dzūkija, namely splinters of wood and their holder, which is called “dziedas”, factory-produced kerosene lamps of various types and hurricane lamps. In addition, programme participants will solve riddles about lamps, candles and other light-producing means. Stories about traditions on All Saints’ Day and Candlemas will be told, too.

 

The smell of real, redolent wax seduces and invites you to try, experience, learn and understand the pleasure of candle casting

 

 

Candle casting is time-consuming and requires a lot of patience. This job was done by the stronger sex.

The museum is closed during the following holidays:

 

• January 1st. – New Year

• February 16th – Lithuanian State Restoration Day
• March 11th. – Day of Restoration of Independence of Lithuania
• St. Easter (Sunday and Monday).
• May 1st. – International Labour Day
• Mother’s Day on the first Sunday in May
• The first Sunday in June – Father’s Day
• June 24th. – St. John’s Day (Dew and Midsummer’s Day)
• July 6th – Statehood Day (Coronation of King Mindaugas)
• August 15th. – Assumption day (Day of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin)
• November 1st. – All Saints Day
• December 24th. – Christmas Eve
• December 25 – 26. Christmas

 

Day before public holidays, the museum closes 1 hour earlier.