Podcast in English

The statesman who laid the foundations of modern Bulgaria

Stefan Stambolov was a rarity in Bulgarian political life. Very few if any of the statesmen in this country have been able to achieve as much for a life span. A revolutionary and a poet, evolved into a politician and reformer, he is one of the..

published on 1/31/22 9:40 AM

The Church of Miracles in Bulgaria’s Melnik

The church to St. Antony the Great in the smallest Bulgarian town Melnik is the only one in Bulgaria bearing the name of the saint-healer, whom the Bulgarian Orthodox Church honours on January 17. "The one-nave basilica was built in 1846. It..

published on 1/16/22 8:00 AM

Epiphany is coming, or the end of the "Unclean Days"

On January 6, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church celebrates one of the brightest Christian holidays, called Epiphany, Yordanovden or the Baptism of the Lord. This is the day on which John the Baptist baptized Jesus Christ in the sacred River Jordan...

published on 1/6/22 9:39 AM

Lean dishes are served on Christmas Eve to elevate soul to holiday’s essence

In the Christian world, the Nativity of Christ is seen as a celebration of the hope that is born to fill the hearts of believers with joy. The daily vanity gives way to the family holiday and the people closest to the heart. In the Bulgarian..

published on 12/24/21 10:00 AM

Festive bread, daily bread…

On Christmas Eve lean dishes and ritual bread with a coin are served and on Christmas - meat dishes predominate. Even in the times of food deliveries and fast food, preparation for the holiday table remain an integral part of the festive spirit...

published on 12/24/21 8:00 AM

Fasting as a personal sacrifice in the traditional practices of Bulgarians

Christmas is drawing closer, and with it – the end of the Advent fast. There are people, even those who do not adhere to the Christian faith, who believe that purification at a physical level – by abstaining from food of animal origin – leads..

published on 12/11/21 8:00 AM

Three saint days mark the start of the December festive season

A multitude of beliefs and rituals in Bulgarian folklore tradition, are connected with the day of St. Varvara, Barbara, 4 December, marking the start of a string of feast days. According to legend, St. Varvara was born in what are today..

published on 12/4/21 9:00 AM

Bulgarian beliefs and rituals related to Saint Catherine

On November 24, Orthodox Christians honour the Holy Martyr Catherine (Ekaterina). Catherine, who lived in the 3rd century in Alexandria, went down in history as one of the most educated women of her time. Legend has it that her attempts to..

published on 11/24/21 6:15 PM

Popular beliefs about hair, beards, moustaches

The first snow falls to earth from St. Dimitar’s beard, one legend goes. But there are others too – that it is St. Nicholas or Archangel Michael that shake the first snowflakes out of their beards. Alongside hair and nails, male beards..

published on 11/13/21 7:50 AM

110 years since the birth of composer Yosif Tsankov

The very first years in the history of the popular music genre in this country, the first national basketball teams (both male and female), the first gramophone records, made in Bulgaria are all connected with one name – Yosif Tsankov. He is also..

published on 11/7/21 8:00 AM