"Maybe a million in her lifetime." 87-year-old craftswoman has been rolling candles for half a century
In Maria Braitsava's small wooden house, there are hand-embroidered covers everywhere, and a wax candle flickers in the red corner with icons.
All the towels, pillowcases, and hand-embroidered cloths in her house in Babichy village, Chachersk district, were embroidered by 87-year-old Maria Braitsava herself. The candles are also her handiwork. For half a century now, she has been rolling them from beeswax and believes that with such candles, prayers are warmer and closer to God.
There is no church of its own in Babichy, so for Easter, a priest comes to the village to bless cakes and eggs. On Holy Saturday and throughout the night before the holiday, Maria Braitsava prays for her fellow villagers and "all of us sinners and unworthy."
Times.by visited the house on the eve of Easter and spoke with the craftswoman.
The Path to Faith: From Mother's Prayer to a Grand Temple
Maria was born in Babichy into a poor family. Her father, a forester, left his young wife with three young children and went to another woman.
"And the reason lies in the bitter truth — my father was a womanizer, that's why I've been wary of men all my life, and never got married," the elderly woman admits.
Maria was the eldest in the family and became her mother's main helper. After three grades, she dropped out of school and went to work on the collective farm — weeding beets, harvesting corn, herding cows. In the evenings, she watched spellbound as her mother prayed by the icon under a snow-white embroidered cloth.
"And I also loved listening to her stories about God. That's how I came to the Church," recalls the woman from Babichy.
This happened in Mozyr, where Maria worked at a sewing factory. The city impressed her with its marvelous churches — her favorite became the Cathedral of Saint Michael the Archangel. In her city apartment, Maria also always had a red corner with her beloved icons of the Mother of God — "The Three-Handed" and "The Burning Bush."
"The first one relieves illnesses of the hands and feet. Also from sorrow. And the second protects the house from fire and misfortunes. And that's true," Maria says knowingly. "I remember how a house caught fire in Babichy in the 60s. Everyone ran around, some bringing water, some pouring it. And one woman with the icon of 'The Burning Bush' walked around it several times — and most of the house was saved. That's how it is."
How Easter is Celebrated in Babichy Without a Church
In the 2000s, Maria Maksimovna returned to her native Babichy. There is no church of its own here; the closest one is in Zalesye, which is 7 kilometers away. On major holidays, the abbot of the church visits the residents of Babichy.
With his permission, Maria took on a special mission: throughout the night before Easter, she prays for her fellow villagers and "all of us sinners and unworthy" in a house on a neighboring street, where the icon "The Sign" has been kept for half a century. There are no golden settings on it; the depiction was made on fastened boards by local craftsmen almost 140 years ago.
"What a rarity, we call it a candle," Maria Braitsava shares important details. "I've been coming here for 20 years as if to church, so the Lord's will descends upon Babichy too."
Previously, the relic was passed from house to house for safekeeping from Easter to Easter. This was an entire ritual in the presence of all villagers. For the last 50 years, the tradition is only remembered.
This year, the festive service near the icon-candle will be held modestly, quietly, but, as the old-timers of Babichy say, with great love for God. Maria Maksimovna knows the entire course of the Orthodox divine service by heart and in all its details.
"Don't worry, I will try my best for everyone," the grandmother smiles.
She Rolls Candles with Her Own Hands and Doesn't Sell Them, Even Though People Ask
For the service before Easter, Maria Braitsava will bring her own candles. For half a century now, she has been making them by hand from wax bought from local beekeepers.
The craftswoman twists the wick from linen threads — three or four are enough. She says imported threads won't do, as they "don't give a pure flame." She melts the wax in small portions and rolls it along a board with her palms. According to her, making candles can only be done on weekdays.
How many candles Maria Maksimovna has rolled in her lifetime is countless.
"Maybe a million," she squints with a sly smile. "I don't sell candles, though people always ask me to. Let people just watch and repeat after me."
According to Maria Maksimovna, the demand for beeswax candles is high because they are special.
"God prefers beeswax candles more. I know that for sure. And how could it be otherwise when wax melts, while paraffin evaporates? The honey-sweet scent only comes from wax. Prayer with them is warmer and closer to God," the craftswoman reflects.
The woman from Babichy places her homemade candles at home near the icons. They burn for a long time. During these moments, she not only reads special prayers but also speaks from her heart. "The main thing is that thoughts and desires are sincere and pure," the heroine rushes to say the most important thing.
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