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As early as 7000 years B.C., 3000 years before the Egyptians, traders from this land, now known as Bulgaria, had crossed up and down the Mediterranean. This long and winding history gave a source of not only great national pride but also an inspiration for a new national spirit. Much has perished through all these millennia, but even more has remained - a rich spiritual world which will shower you with the colours, rhythms and melodious songs of living Bulgarian folklore, the unfading beauty of Bulgarian arts and crafts, the gaiety and vivacity of Bulgarian festivals and customs, the piquant taste of Bulgarian cuisine and the delicate fragrance of Bulgarian wines.
Plovdiv region and the city, villages and towns therein, with its remnants of the Byzantine, Roman and Ottoman civilizations, count among their wealth an unusually diverse culture, parts of which have remained unchanged for centuries. In this section of Plovdiv Guide, we offer you a trip through the land which has been so richly endowed by God with elegant beauty and invite you to discover its traditions, customs and rituals.
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A · B · C · D · E · F · G · H · I · J · K · L · M · N · O · P · Q · R · S · T · U · V · W · X · Y · Z · All · |
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January . February . March . April . May . June . July . August . September . October . November . December |
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 | | Name day of everyone named Vassil, Vassilka, Vassilena, Vesselina, Vesselin, Vessela, Vessie, Veska, Vulko. Bulgarians celebrate the first day of the New Year by a large number of traditional rituals. The most popular among them is the “sourvakane” - tapping the back of each member of the family by means of a specially decorated cornel-tree twig called `sourvaknitza` - for health and good luck. more > |
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 | | Name day of everyone named Sylvia, Sylester, Goran, Goritsa, Serafim, Ognyan/a, Plamen/a. On the evening before young men go to “propose” to the young lasses and to demonstrate that they are capable of keeping house. They enter the stable and shovel out the garbage. The hosts leave a bag full of food – sausage, bacon and a bottle of wine as a treat, hanging the bag on a nail behind the door. more > |
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| | January 4 - Name day of Tikhomir more > |
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 | | Name day of everyone named Yordan/ka (named after the holy river of Jordan), Yonko/a, Daniel/a, Bozhan/a, Bozhil, Boyan/a, Bogdan/a and Bozhidar/a(both meaning "God's gift"), Bogolyub/a, Boncho, Bonka, Bogomil/a (meaning "Dear to God"), Bistra.One of the most popular Christianity feasts (Also known as Bogoyavlenie, Voditsi, Vodokrushti), celebrating the consecration of the holy cross. Yordanovden/ Epiphany is a popular feast in the traditional Bulgarian calendar. more > |
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 | | Name day of everyone named Ivan, Vanyo, Vanya, Yoan/Ioan, Yoanna/Ioanna, Yonko/Yonka, Yoto, Ivaylo, Ivo, Ivona, Kaloyan, Jan/Jean, and Janna (whose names all have the basic meaning of `God`s blessing`. The traditional concept of St.Ivan (John) as the patron saint of “bestmanship” or “brotherhood” in general, determines the widely popular visits by the newly-wed couple to their best man’s family. more > |
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 | | Old Midwives’ Day is a feast dedicated to the old midwives, the young women giving birth to babies and to the health of those babies. The feast comprises three main rite elements: the first is the bathing of the small children (usually done by the old woman and followed by numerous blessings), the second one is the symbolic spreading of honey and butter over the children, and third one is the feast at the house of the old midwife. This is all done with the wish for health. more > |
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 | | Name day of everyone named Tatiana or Tanya (coming from Latin, with the meaning `the one who arranges`). more > |
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 | | That Feast Day is the first one of the group “Antonovden & Atanassovden” (in the period Jan.16-18) and acts as preparation to the next two larger holidays. That day is also known under the names of Sveti Verigi (meaning “Holy Chains”) or “The Chains of St. Peter”. more > |
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 | | Name day of everyone named Anton (meaning `priceless` in Latin), Antonia, Antoanneta, Antoan, Andon, Doncho, Donka, Donna, Donny, Donyo, Tonyo, Tony. People celebrate this day and are forbidden to work as a protection against the plague. Young brides get up at dawn and bake breads called “choumini” (meaning “of the plague”). more > |
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 | | Name day of everyone named Atanas, Atanaska, Nasso, Nacho, Tinka, Nasya, Totka. It a holiday connected with the New Year’s rites. According to the traditional beliefs, St. Atanasius is the ruler of snow and ice. Dressed in a silk shirt he ascends the mountain, riding his white horse and exclaims: “Winter, go away; Summer, come again!” That’s why this holiday is also known as the Mid-winter Day. more > |
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
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