In Romanian folklore, the beginning of March is filled with symbols connected to weather, spring, and luck.
One of the best-known figures in these traditions is Old Mother Dochia, a legendary old woman associated with the unpredictable weather of early spring.
According to the legend, Old Mother Dochia sets out into the mountains with her sheep, convinced that spring has already arrived. Along the way she gradually takes off the heavy sheepskin coats she is wearing, because the weather seems to be getting warmer.
In some versions of the story she wears nine coats, in others twelve.
But spring can be unpredictable. Suddenly the cold returns, and Old Mother Dochia freezes on the mountain together with her flock.
This story became a traditional explanation for the sudden weather changes that often occur during the first days of March.
Even today, when temperatures drop unexpectedly, people sometimes say:
“Old Mother Dochia is shaking out her coats.”
The “Nine Days of Dochia”
In Romanian tradition, the first nine days of March are sometimes called the Nine Days of Dochia.
Each person chooses one day between March 1 and March 9. The weather on that day is believed to reflect what the coming year might be like for that person.
If the day is sunny and pleasant, it is said to be a sign of luck and calm.
If the weather is cold, windy, or unpredictable, the year ahead may bring more challenges or surprises.
Why people drink 40 or 44 glasses of wine on March 9
On March 9, Romanian folklore also says that men should drink 40 — or sometimes 44 — glasses of wine.
The number is not random.
It comes from the Christian tradition of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste, Roman soldiers who were executed in the 4th century for refusing to renounce their faith.
In the Eastern Orthodox calendar, their feast day is celebrated on March 9.
Over time, the religious celebration blended with older seasonal traditions, and wine became a symbol of vitality and the arrival of spring.
Of course, in reality very few people actually drink 40 glasses. In many places the tradition is interpreted symbolically: people simply raise a glass of wine for good luck and health.
Other traditions of March 9
Besides wine, many regions also prepare mucenici, a traditional dessert made from dough shaped like the number eight.
The shape is often interpreted as a symbol of infinity or eternal life.
There are two main versions:
- boiled mucenici, served in a sweet syrup with walnuts (common in eastern Romania)
- baked mucenici, glazed with honey and topped with walnuts (popular in southern Romania)
A day where legend, religion, and tradition meet
March 9 is one of those days when several layers of tradition overlap:
- the legend of Old Mother Dochia
- the celebration of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste
- seasonal customs connected to the arrival of spring.
In different ways, they all convey the same idea:
winter is coming to an end, and a new cycle of nature is beginning.