Martis or Martia is an ancient custom, with a Balkan diaspora. It is believed to have its roots in Ancient Greece, specifically in the Eleusinian Mysteries, where the mystics tied a thread, the Kroki, on their right hand and left foot, as the folklorist Nikolaos Politis observes.
According to custom, on the 1st of March, mothers wear a bracelet made of twisted white and red thread on the wrist of their children, March or Martia, to protect them from the first sun of Spring, which is particularly harmful, according to popular beliefs. March is also believed to ward off mosquitoes and fleas and even ward off disease and other evils.
According to Sansimera.gr, they make it on the last day of February and wear it on the first day of March, before leaving the house. In some regions Mars is worn on the big toe as a ring to prevent its wearer from tripping.
They take this bracelet off at the end of the month, or leave it on the rose bushes when they see the first swallow, so that the birds can take it and build their nest, or they burn it with the resurrection light of Easter.
The Christian Church through John Chrysostom considers the custom pagan as early as the 5th century.
"March" in the Balkans
The custom of March is celebrated the same and unchanged in Skopje under the name Martinka and in Albania as Verore. The inhabitants of our two neighboring countries wear bracelets made of red and white thread so that the sun does not "catch" them, which they take off at the end of the month or when they see the first swallow. Still others tie March to a fruit tree to make it bloom, while some place it under a stone and if the next day they find a worm next to it, it means that the rest of the year will be very good.
Following centuries-old traditions and customs, Bulgarians, on the first day of March, wear ornaments made of white and red threads called Martenitsa on their lapels. In some regions of Bulgaria, residents place a piece of red cloth outside their houses to prevent "Grandma Marta" (Baba Marta, in Bulgarian), who is the female personification of the month of March, from burning them. Martenitsa functions in the consciousness of the Bulgarian people as a talisman, which is even customarily offered as a gift between family members, accompanied by wishes for health and prosperity.
The red-and-white ornament of the 1st of March is called Martizor in Romanian. The red thread symbolizes the love of the beautiful and the white the purity of the snow-loving plant, which blooms in March and is closely related to several Romanian customs and traditions. According to mythology, the Sun God transformed into a young man and came down to Earth to take part in a celebration. However, he was kidnapped by a dragon, as a result of which he was lost and the world plunged into darkness.
One day a young man, together with his companions killed the dragon and freed the Sun, bringing spring. The young man lost his life and his blood - says the legend - dyed the snow red. Since then, it is customary on the 1st of March for all young men to knit the "Martisor", with red thread symbolizing the young man's blood and love of sacrifice and white symbolizing purity.