Podcast in English

author: Ass. Prof. Dr. Vihra Baeva

Lamb a-bleating: lambs, sheep and rams in Bulgarian tradition

What is the meaning of lambs, sheep and rams – revered, loved and at times, ridiculed as an allegory of human failings – in Bulgarian folklore tradition? Sheep breeding, alongside land tilling, has always been the main source of..

05.06.14 13:42 |
A fresco in the monastery of Ossenovlak, featuring the Annunciation with a martenitsa

Annunciation day in Bulgarian tradition

March 25 is Annunciation day, one of the major Christian feast days. But what is its meaning and symbolism? And why is the Mother of God depicted as spinning when she receives the glad tidings? The Annunciation is central to the..

25.03.14 09:30 |

Granny-midwives and Granny’s day rituals

According to folklore tradition on January 21 we pay tribute to granny-midwives – the people who assist during childbirth and care for the baby and the young mother. Granny’s day is also celebrated as the day of female fertility, of children..

21.01.14 12:52 |