December 4 is the church holiday of the Holy Great Martyr Barbara, celebrated by both Orthodoxy and Catholicism. Barbara was a girl from a noble family, beheaded for her Christian faith at the beginning of the 4th century. There is a belief that from Varvara to Ignatius the day "rises" like a needle's tip. It also "rises" from Ignacius to Vasil (from December 20 to January 1). On Varvara, day and night meet and become equal. The holiday is also called Varvaritsa, Varvarinden or Women's Christmas.
In traditional representations, Varvara is the patroness of children's diseases, and above all, smallpox, called by our people by taboo names: grandmother, aunt, sweet and honeyed. An evil, toothless and ugly grandmother - the image of the disease "paints" Varvara's portrait as well. In order to propitiate Baba Sharka (grandma Smallpox) and divert her from the children, the women prepared a ritual stew in which they put various wheat and bean seeds. They call it "varvara". Sweetened with honey, this stew is given to children, and also to neighbors and relatives. There is a belief that throughout the day the children should jump so that Varvara does not find them.
Martenitsas are one of the symbols of Bulgaria – regarded as the harbinger of spring and the end of darkness. Every year, on 1 March, Bulgarians, wherever they may be in the world, give friends and family the red-and-white tassels, as a token of..
February 22 marks the 90th anniversary of the birth of Kichka Savova - one of the most significant singers from Bulgaria's Thrace folklore region. All who knew her during her lifetime keep in their hearts the memory of a talented, truly good, bright and..
For the fourth year in a row, the town of Tran in Western Bulgaria will host a winter festival of masquerade games. The beginning will be set on February 3 from 12:00 to 14:00 in the central town square. Four survakari groups from Zemen, Trun and the..
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