The earth awakens from hibernation, the sun smiles at us and the variety of flowers begins to accompany us in our daily lives. In such a pastoral picture of life comes one of the most favourite holidays of Bulgarians - Palm Sunday, known in Bulgaria as Tsvetnisa, or the Day of Flowers (“tsvete” meaning flower”.
In the Christian tradition, the day is revered as the Lord's Entrance into Jerusalem. According to the Gospel texts, the Son of God entered the holy city, greeted by people with olive, palm and laurel branches and the words "Hosanna". That is why, after the liturgy on Palm Sunday, Christians take with them consecrated willow twigs, representing the palms with which the Saviour was greeted.
In different Bulgarian regions, Palm Sunday is also called Vrabnitsa. And although we are still in the time of the Easter Lent, fish can be put on the table today. In many places in Bulgaria ritual cakes in the form of flowers are kneaded.
On Palm Sunday, everyone who bears the names of flowers and plants celebrates their name day.
Tomorrow marks the start of the Holy Week, which will end on the eve of Christ's Resurrection - a time for reflection on life and death, rethinking values and trying to get closer to the spiritual world!
Compiled by Vessela Krasteva
English version Rositsa Petkova
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