About bubonic plague and its lords

About bubonic plague and its lords

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Welcome to Folk Studio with a feature written by Associate Prof. Dr. Vihra Baeva. Today you can find out about the ways Bulgarians believed would help them protect the community from bubonic plague, one of the deadliest diseases during the Middle Ages. We will tell you what rituals were performed, as Bulgarians tried to protect their families from the deadly infection and to beat fears linked to the lethal illness.

In 14 c. the European peoples had to face an unprecedented evil – plague epidemics. The disease originated in China and was most probably carried over to Europe along the Silk Road or “on board” commercial ships. The damage that it did was terrible – people died on a mass scale and villages and towns were virtually wiped out. In fact the population of Europe declined dramatically. In the centuries that followed the plague would make its comebacks claiming more lives. Those dramatic developments affected the economy and the policies of the European countries, altered the spiritual climate on the continent and the plague became a theme in works of folklore, literature and art. Bulgarian folklore makes no exception. In it the Black Plague appears as an awesome image of the worst of all diseases known to humans, an epitome of death itself.

In the traditional beliefs and imagery, the bubonic plague looked like an old, plain woman dressed in rags, with bony hands, long nails and disheveled hair. She would carry a scythe or a sickle that she used to mow down her victims. On other occasions she hit them with fiery arrows. There is a legend that God created the plague and sent it to humans in a bid to punish them for their sins. However she turned out so grisly and sinister that when he saw her, God was terrified and struck her back with his walking stick. Since then her neck has been paralyzed and she could only see straight explaining why some people manage to avoid her.

There is another legend. In it Jesus Christ and the Holy Virgin withdrew from the Plague’s way distressed by her appearance. It was only Saint Peter who did not withdraw – so she burnt his wings but retaliating he hit her and she became hunchbacked. This prompted God to give instructions to humans to observe the St. Peter fasting so that the saint’s wings cloud grow out again.

The Plague was so frightening that even her name should not be uttered. Instead, various other names should be used to appease her, such as auntie or sweet and honey. The latter was linked to the notion that the Plague, similar to other diseases and demons, had a soft spot for honey. This explains why during epidemics the table was laid with honey bread and wine. Another way to appease her was to leave a wash-tub with warm water and soap. People believed that the Plague had a little child and would be happy to bathe him.

No matter how deadly the Plague was there were supra-natural creatures and forces including saints that could beat her. It was believed that the Plague was born in the days surrounding the feasts of St. Anthony and St. Athanasius and therefore they are her lords. In folklore the two saints are twin brothers very skilled in the blacksmith’s trade and are venerated as patrons of blacksmiths, ironmongers and cutlers. Once they hammered out a magic chain which they used to tie the Plague and she stopped hurting humans. So, on 17 and 18 January no one was allowed to work and women made and gave away honey bread in the hope of protecting the community from the Black Death. In some regions of Bulgaria, 19 January is celebrated as Saint Black Death.

Another plague boss is Saint Charalampus whose feast is marked on 10 February and is also known as Plague Day. When the saints decided to divide the world between each other, he became the boss of all diseases and above all, of the deadliest among them, the bubonic plague. Hence his ability to defeat her. There are icons depicting Saint Charalampus who is beating the Black Death. In another legend Saint Charalampus once managed to capture her and to imprison her in a bottle. However, he sometimes would release her for a while to punish humans for their massive sinning. In some parts of Bulgaria honey is spread over bread on the feast of Saint Charalampus. To this day the feast is also the day of beekeepers who take their honey to church for blessing and also, to pay homage to their patron saint.

St. Anthony, Athanasius and Charalampus were not alone in beating the Plague. In the village of Banichan, Southwestern Bulgaria, the locals tell the story of Saint Archangel Michael, the patron of the village, who faced the Plague and following a close battle, succeeded in driving her away. In a legend recorded in the village of Draglishte, the same region, the Plague was surprisingly defeated by a gang of elves.

Today nobody remembers the dreadful disease, but in the spoken tongue the phrasal “grisly as plague” is still used, as well as another one, “just like plague in the head” meaning a woman with disheveled hair.

Translated by Daniela Konstantinova

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About bubonic plague and its lords

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