The week before Shrovetide is traditionally known as Todor’s, Tudurska or Kukerska week… You’d be surprised at the number of different names this time of the year goes by. And each is connected with given beliefs, customs and rituals.

According to popular belief it is during Todor’s week that hobgoblins and evil beings come out and roam the land. In some parts of the country the evil creatures are said to be “St. Todor riding a white horse and Granny Tudoritsa”. Throughout the week a number of prohibitions are observed – most of them concern women. Young lasses are not allowed to stay out late so as not to be assailed by the dark creatures. Women must not use beaters for their washing, ploughing and sowing is prohibited - else there will be thunder and hailstorms in summer. Men’s clothing must not be made, clothes must not be washed or dried. Todor’s week is also a time of strict fasting. All of these restrictions explain why it is also known as Trimirna or Hungry Week.

Besides the more general prohibitions, each of the days of Todor’s week has its own rituals and its given name.

Pesi Monday (from pes meaning cur) or Kukerovden is connected with rituals to protect dogs from rabies and, in some parts of the country with carnival processions. The ritual of swinging dogs is called trichane. The lads would go out of the village, find a place to put up a swing and swing each dog three times – it was believed this was a way to ward off rabies.

Kukeri or mummers would make the rounds of the village – one of the principal customs at this time. Masquerade processions like this take place during other periods of the traditional ritual cycle as well. The aim of these processions was to ward off evil and ensure fertility and prosperity.

On Tuesday the prohibitions in place ward off drought, deafness and ustrel (an evil spirit that attacks humans, incantations are what keeps it away). In some parts of the country women knead bread, thurify it and then go out into the courtyard. They break up the loaf over the chopping log and invite rain clouds to come and visit and partake of the bread so they may come back in summer with rain. In other parts honey is spread over the bread and morsels of it are hurled onto the roof – for the clouds. The rest is broken into pieces and taken to the field, to the river (where it is believed the rainbow comes to drink), to the stack yard.

On Crazy Wednesday the rituals performed are to protect people from mental diseases. On Giddy Thursday the prohibitions are for winding yarn, using a spinning wheel or doing any work that involves any rotary motions. It is believed that this prevents vurtoglavie – giddiness, dizziness – in humans and in animals. On Friday women must not touch the spindle… This takes us to the grand feast on Saturday – St. Todor’s day.

The rites on St. Todor’s day make it part of the string of rituals performed to bid goodbye to winter and welcome spring. Evidence of these rituals has come down to us from the early Middle Ages. The day is in fact named after Theodore Stratelates and Theodore Tyron. According to popular belief Todor drove a burning firebrand into the ground and warmed it up. Then he took off his nine fur coats and went to see God to ask him to bring summer. The saint rides a white horse and is thus considered to be the patron saint of horses. That is the reason why his feast day is a grand occasion for all Bulgarians with rituals aimed at bringing health and a good yield to horses. Ritual loaves baked on this day are horse-shaped and bear names like foal, hoof, horseshoe. The day is also known as Horse Easter. Horse races or kushii are organized to this day. Every household would bring their horses out with wild geranium and spring flowers in their manes. While the men got the saddles and the reins ready, the women would sing: “St. Todor is shoeing the horse in the green meadows…” After the race everyone would return to the village together with the winner riding up front. The owner of the horse that outdistanced all others would receive guests and treat them to wine. This day is also celebrated by young brides who have married during the winter. For them special ring buns would be baked. The bride’s near and dear ones would all give her a bun each with wishes for many children – healthy and nimble like stallions.

All people named Todor, Teodor, Bozhidar, Yuliana etc. celebrate their name day.

English version: Milena Daynova