Traditional Calendar
FEBRUARY
On February 14th is the Saint Tryphon’s Day or Tryphon Zarezan, the feast of vinegrowers. The village priest, together with all villagers, goes to the vineyards to give them his blessings. Everibody is celebrating, drinking wine and eating meatballs. On this day vines are trimmed. In recent times, probably as a consequence of the globalization and the mixing of cultures on that day more and more Bulgarians start celebrating the Catholic Saint Valentine’s day.
Other important day in the folk calendar is Shrovetide day (or Forgiveness day celebrated every Sunday that precedes the first Sunday of Lent and is about 50 days before Easter) and depending on the Easter are celebrated on different dates but always on Sunday. There are the second Sunday before Lent and the first Sunday before Lent which are celebrated.
Saturday, before Shrovetide day (the second Sunady before Lent) is the Great All Souls’ Day, when people visit their late relatives' graves, clean them, decorate them with flowers, light candles and pray for their souls. The custom is to give away bread, boiled eggs and wine to pacify the souls of the dead. On Saturday, before the end of that week is Todorovden or Saint Theodore’s Day,
also called the horse Easter, because on this day horse races are organized. That Sunday for last time it is allowed to eat dairy products and eggs, before the Lent, which continues fourty days and is a reminder of fourty days long starvation of Jesus Christ in the desert. On the table one will find again the famous banitsa, yoghurt and boiled eggs, and for dessert - khalva is served. After that Lent starts and lasts for fourty days.
The first Sunday before Lent is also known as the Forgiveness Day. This is one of the most interesting traditions of them all, reflecting the common wisdom of the people. On this day everyone asks for forgiveness his relatives and friends for the unintended offences he might have done to them during the preceding year. Young families visit the old members of the family (today being practically impossible to visit everyone you can call on the phone) and after the greeting “Good Afternoon” they say “Please, forgive me” and the approached person replies "I forgive you and I ask you to forgive me, too". Forgiveness is asked without questions or making analyses of what is to be forgiven. This is a very wise tradition, which comes from the presumption that all people are sinful and that they could have offended their relatives and friends even unintentionally. Thus Bulgarians have one day in the year in which they ask forgiveness of all by visiting them or by phone too, and they get it. Thus they are purified and happy that they do not keep grim thoughts and bad intentions for those around them. Like that after cleansing their souls people can start the Lent in attempt to clean their bodies as well. We must note the fact, that although there are not so many people who keep the Lent today, almost everyone performs the ritual of asking and receiving forgiveness. That is a clear indication that today's society is in need of purification of the soul and in fact old Bulgarian tradition still has a place in our strenuous and hectic lives.
On February 14th is the Saint Tryphon’s Day or Tryphon Zarezan, the feast of vinegrowers. The village priest, together with all villagers, goes to the vineyards to give them his blessings. Everibody is celebrating, drinking wine and eating meatballs. On this day vines are trimmed. In recent times, probably as a consequence of the globalization and the mixing of cultures on that day more and more Bulgarians start celebrating the Catholic Saint Valentine’s day.
Other important day in the folk calendar is Shrovetide day (or Forgiveness day celebrated every Sunday that precedes the first Sunday of Lent and is about 50 days before Easter) and depending on the Easter are celebrated on different dates but always on Sunday. There are the second Sunday before Lent and the first Sunday before Lent which are celebrated.
Saturday, before Shrovetide day (the second Sunady before Lent) is the Great All Souls’ Day, when people visit their late relatives' graves, clean them, decorate them with flowers, light candles and pray for their souls. The custom is to give away bread, boiled eggs and wine to pacify the souls of the dead. On Saturday, before the end of that week is Todorovden or Saint Theodore’s Day,
also called the horse Easter, because on this day horse races are organized. That Sunday for last time it is allowed to eat dairy products and eggs, before the Lent, which continues fourty days and is a reminder of fourty days long starvation of Jesus Christ in the desert. On the table one will find again the famous banitsa, yoghurt and boiled eggs, and for dessert - khalva is served. After that Lent starts and lasts for fourty days.
The first Sunday before Lent is also known as the Forgiveness Day. This is one of the most interesting traditions of them all, reflecting the common wisdom of the people. On this day everyone asks for forgiveness his relatives and friends for the unintended offences he might have done to them during the preceding year. Young families visit the old members of the family (today being practically impossible to visit everyone you can call on the phone) and after the greeting “Good Afternoon” they say “Please, forgive me” and the approached person replies "I forgive you and I ask you to forgive me, too". Forgiveness is asked without questions or making analyses of what is to be forgiven. This is a very wise tradition, which comes from the presumption that all people are sinful and that they could have offended their relatives and friends even unintentionally. Thus Bulgarians have one day in the year in which they ask forgiveness of all by visiting them or by phone too, and they get it. Thus they are purified and happy that they do not keep grim thoughts and bad intentions for those around them. Like that after cleansing their souls people can start the Lent in attempt to clean their bodies as well. We must note the fact, that although there are not so many people who keep the Lent today, almost everyone performs the ritual of asking and receiving forgiveness. That is a clear indication that today's society is in need of purification of the soul and in fact old Bulgarian tradition still has a place in our strenuous and hectic lives.
