Bread and Wine

Bread and Wine

Update Required To play the media you will need to either update your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin.

Bread and wine are traditional Christian symbols, which are an indispensable part of rituals related to the Holy Communion, baptizing, or service for the dead. Long before Bulgaria adopted Christianity, bread and wine had an important place in pagan rituals. After the introduction of Christianity to Bulgarian lands, people continued to perform their rituals, preserving the symbolism. Bread and wine accompany the most significant moments in the lives of Bulgarians even today.

The Orthodox Church calls bread and wine Eucharist. The word is Greek and means “gratitude.” According to Christianity, bread and wine are the material symbols of Christ. As it is written in the New Testament, during the Last Supper, Jesus Christ gave wine and bread to his disciples, telling them these were his body and blood. Through the bread and wine Christians also accept the communion with religion and the church. This symbolic expression of spiritual communion is also present in a number of pagan rituals. Eating the body of god is observed in a number of religions across the world. Bread and wine have been used in rituals in Bulgaria since ancient times. Bread and wine, as well as other foods and objects, were used as a sacrifice for the invisible world. It is an interesting fact that there are hundreds of different types of ritual bread, known to experts. Dimitar Marinov is one of the first Bulgarian ethnographers who pay special attention to the different types of ritual bread and their making. During the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century he traveled across Bulgaria, photographing and describing various types of ritual bread. He even learned to make and decorate such bread himself. Just like embroideries and decorations on traditional dresses, bread decorations are a special art of its own, Dimitar Marinov writes. “These decorations demonstrate joy, power, happiness, life, health, and love,” he adds. Having deep respect towards the Bulgarian attitude of sacredness towards bread, Dimitar Marinov paid a lot of efforts for studying and preserving the ancient traditions. Special decoration is a must for the ritual bread. Depending on the purpose, salt or honey are added.

Sweet bread is served during Communion rituals, for example, or when a child is born or starts walking. Then honey is spread over the bread. A young bride is welcomed in the same way in the home of the boy’s parents. Bread, wine, honey, and herbs are also placed on a special flag waved during weddings. Bread symbolizes fertility, while wine is a symbol of love and understanding.

In order to fully grasp the traditional Bulgarian understanding of bread and wine, one must take a look at the old technologies used for their making. In order for the grains of wheat to turn into bread, a long way must be passed. The story of the grain of wheat is used in a widely popular tale, which was usually told to children while they waited for the bread, just taken out of the oven, to cool. The tale tells the story of a grain of wheat that was born on the field and then together with the other grains was taken to the granary after passing through several stages of processing. In autumn it was brought again to the ground. “How can I go back there again? It will be my very end,” the grain of wheat thought. The other grains were also scared by the dark and cold ground. But with the first rains green stems came out of the grains of wheat, which bravely found their way to the sun. Strong wheatears grew, which were then reaped, threshed, and ground to flour. After that the old grandmother kneaded bread. The moral of the story that patience is a virtue is obvious. The wheat cycle is one of the examples of cases when patience is required.

Man cannot use wheat if he haven’t sown it correctly and followed the exact rules for growing it. That is why bread is one of the brightest images of conquered space and transformation of natural forces into material well-being and spiritual communion.

Grapes also pass a long way to turn into wine, which is made of a great number of them. Brought together they bring huge power. Wine is communion, Bulgarians say. No religious or folklore ritual is ever performed without bread and wine. Bulgarians devoted to magical practices have existed since ancient times. Foods and objects are used for magic, but people say that no magic can be done with bread and wine. Their origin has always been connected to the benevolent and protective forces. Maybe this is what makes bread and wine so important. A number of religious rituals are performed with bread and wine. After the ritual end, bread and wine are filled with great power. The ritual bread must be broken with hands and not cut through. Pieces are given to everybody, in order for the communion to take place. There is a folk song telling the story of a young lass who pours wine. While doing this, she sees a premonition about her wedding. Of course, these symbols lead us to the patriarchal traditions of old times.
There is a curious students’ film from the past year. It is entitled “Bread and Wine” and tells the story of a Bulgarian and a foreigner, who meet by chance after their cars break down in the night. They are together in the dark and cannot communicate as they don’t speak each other’s language but suddenly one of them remembers he has a bottle of wine. The other one has some bread and everything changes. Differences and fear are easily overcome. A story that redefines ancient symbols through the use of contemporary language and images.

English: Alexander Markov

Share

Bread and Wine

More from category

Today is St. Lazarus Day

Mummers, elders, chaushi... the village of Turia is hosting masquerade games

The demonic image of horse rider St. Todor in folk traditions