St. Anthony was born in Egypt in  251 AD, to a wealthy and pious family. Having been orphaned at the age of 20, he gave away his fortune to the poor and retired to an Egyptian tomb hacked out into the rock. Having overcome a string of temptations and trials, Anthony went to live in an old abandoned Roman fort in the mountain and sealed off all entrances. Twice a year a friend would come to bring him food. St. Anthony spent 20 years living this life and God rewarded him by endowing him with the ability to heal. He died on 17 January in 356 AD at the age of 105.

On the day of St. Anthony women must not do any sowing or knitting – if they were to prick their fingers, they would heal very slowly and would vex the diseases. For the same reason no beans or lentils must be cooked (beans and lentils are thought to resemble the pox rash).

St. Athanasius the Great is an Egyptian theologian and man of God, patriarch of Alexandria from 328 until 373 AD. He was the first to have popularized monasticism which originated in Egypt throughout Europe. The church venerates the saint twice a year – on 2 May, the day of his death and on 18 January, the day when he returned to Alexandria as orthodox bishop for the last time. In popular tradition this day is called Winter St. Athanasius or Midway Winter. It is said that from this day on the day begins to grow “by one millet seed a day”. In folklore tradition, on this day St. Athanasius went up into the mountain on a white horse. He took off his winter coat, put on a silk shirt and called out: “Go away winter, come summer!”

In popular belief Anthony and Athanasius are twin brothers. According to legend, they were blacksmiths and even invented the blacksmith tongs. Here is how it happened - they were working at the smithy, the iron grew white-hot in the furnace and there was no way Athanasius could pull it out with his bare hands. So, he got an idea – to use two metal rods. And while he was wondering how to do this, his gaze fell upon a dog lying on the floor nearby and its front paws, curled up in front of it. He bent the rods into the same shape and made… tongs. From that moment on, the brothers became the patron saints of blacksmiths, cutlers and ironmongers. To honour him, on this day people practicing these professions make a sacrificial offering.

In some parts of the country the days of St. Anthony and St. Athanasius are called “sweet and honeyed”. In the region of Mount Pirin it is believed that all diseases come together (or are born) on the day of St. Anthony and on the following day – St. Athanasius day – go out to look for humans to attach themselves to. So, women observe the same prohibitions as on the previous day. In the Thracian region, a black chicken or hen is killed on St. Athanasius day, cooked with rice and given out to relatives and friends for health. In other parts of the country lasses and young men would go out to the meadows, put up swings, sing and dance the horo. This is one of the principal feast days when the villagers make sacrificial offerings together – for health and prosperity.

English version: Milena Daynova