On July 30 the Bulgarian Orthodox Church marks the Synaxis of the Holy, Glorious and All-Praised Twelve Apostles of Christ - Peter, Andrew, James and John the sons of Zabedee, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Mathew, James the son of Alphaeus, Jude the brother of James, Simon the Zealot and Matthias. Apostle Paul is also considered an apostle of Christ. That is why June 30 is known as Pavlovden in Bulgaria. Paul the Apostle is a Jewish preacher, one of the most important apostles in Christianity, who had a decisive role in the spread of Christianity outside the Jewish community. In Bulgaria Pavlovden is a feast which is marked mainly in the eastern parts of the country to protect people from fire, thunders and hail.