Kalpana Kalpana (Editor)

Bulgarian customs

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The main Bulgarian celebration events are :

  • Martenitsa, all of March, beginning with the 1st of march
  • Nestinari
  • Kukeri
  • Koleda (Christmas), Koledari
  • Velikden (Easter)
  • Name Days
  • International Mother's Day, March 8
  • Independence Day, March 3
  • Sveti, Sveti Kiril i Metodii, May 24
  • Other Bulgarian customs, specific for Bulgaria, worship God, the saints, the nature, the health, and chase away bad spirits :

  • St. Andrew's Day - 30 November
  • Antonovden - 17 January
  • Archangelden - 8 November
  • Christmas Eve
  • Budnik
  • Easter
  • Valtchi praznici
  • St George's Day
  • German
  • Dragon chasing
  • Gorestnici - 28,29,30 July
  • Dimitrovden - 26 October
  • St John's Eve - 24 June
  • Need-fire
  • Trifon Zarezan - 1 February / 14 February
  • Horse riding Todorovden - 1st Saturday of Lent
  • Feast of the Cross - 14 September
  • Lazarice (Lazarus Saturday) - 8 days before Easter in the name of Lazarus
  • Maccabees - ab 1 August for 12 days, to remember the Maccabees
  • Mratinci - Chasing of bad spirits, 14 November
  • Nestinarstvo - Fire dance
  • Nikulden - 6 December
  • Pali Kosh - 2 March - circle dances around a Campfire
  • Dodola
  • Petliovden - 20 January - Praying for a better harvest
  • Rusalska sedmica - Dance procession like Exorcism, one week after Pentecost
  • Sirni zagovezni - On Sunday, seven weeks before Easter. Jumping over the campfire and juggling with fire
  • Surva (Beginning of the new year), Kukeri (At the beginning of the new year and on Sirni zagovezni) and Koledari (on Christmas),
  • Todorova nedelja - The period between Sirni zagovezni and Todorovden
  • Dogs swinging - The first Monday of the period Todorova nedelja
  • Throwing willow branches into water spring on Pentecost
  • Throwing wood crosses into water spring on Iordanovden, the 6th of January to remember the Baptism of Jesus
  • Literature

  • Българска народна митология. Енциклопедичен речник. Съст. Анани Стойнев. Изд. гр. 7М+Логис, София, 1994.
  • Маринов Димитър Народна вяра и религиозни народни обичаи. Второ фототипно издание. — София, 1994.
  • Маринов Д. Жива старина. Книга перва: Верванията или суеверията на народа. — Руссе, 1891. 189 с.
  • References

    Bulgarian customs Wikipedia