Bulgarian customs

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.

External links

• Small booklet about Bulgarian customs, traditions and celebrations Free PDF booklet by Bulgaria Info-Online Magazine
• Българските традиции
• Оrenda-bg.net