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  • The ‘Kalyady Tsars’ (Cristmas Kings) is a walking greeting rite with some elements of the traditional Kalyady (Christmas) carnival and ‘Tsar Maksimilijan’ folk drama, which is timed to Ščodry Viečar (New Year’s Eve by the ‘old style’ Julian calendar) celebrated on January 13. This pageant was formed as an original Christmas performance, with only young men performing the roles as the ‘Tsars’ (Kings). Normally, there are seven ‘Tsars’, each having a particular name, such as Tsar Maksimilijan, Tsar Mamaj, Tsar Ivan the Terrible, etc. Besides the ‘Tsars’, engaged in the Rite are Lekar (Doctor) and Mechanoša (Sack Carrier), a harmonist and a drummer, as well as Dzied and Baba (an old man and an old woman), which are traditional characters of Belarusian Kaliady. The ‘Tsars’ get together and dress themselves in one of the village homes. The greeting round starts at nightfall. The performers come out and file by size. They march like soldiers, following the command, ‘By the left! By the left! One, two, three!’ As the file marches, the performers sing the folk song ‘Posieju Lebedu Na Bieriegy’, which is accompanied by drum beating, with Dzied and Baba running at the sides. Dzied carries a whip and cracks it playfully every now and then. Baba brooms the road on the Tsars way. Lekar, who is ‘the commander-in-chief’, walks aside. The whole procession goes where Lekar orders