Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2023 All Rights Reserved

Water blessing ceremony in Bulgarian churches on the day before Epiphany

Photo: BGNES-archive

On the eve of the great Christian Feast of the Epiphany, also known as Yordanovden, a great water blessing ceremony was served in all Bulgarian Orthodox churches. The ritual refers to The Baptism of Christ in the sacred River Jordan by John the Baptist. 

This is one of the most solemn sacraments of the Church's ordinances and is celebrated after the Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil. The Great Epiphany Blessing takes plave twice a year - on Epiphany and on the eve of Epiphany itself. The first Christians performed water-blessing rituals on the night before the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. Since then, Orthodox Christians in Bulgaria have been praying at midnight before the Epiphany. It is believed that this is the time when the skies open and the Lord hears their sincere prayers. 


Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

“Shanuvane” in Zhrebichko village: On the trail of a lost ritual

“If you ever find yourself in Zhrebichko at “shanuvane” time, you would never know what you are seeing is young men about to go off to the army, you would think it was some kind of strange wedding,” says Prof. Ilia Peev. Mandatory military..

updated on 5/4/23 12:46 PM

Today we honour the memory of Tsar Boris-Mihail the Baptizer

Knyaz (prince) Boris is the son of the ruler Presian. In 865 he made peace with Constantinople and, together with his family, converted to Christianity, taking the name Mihail. In search of what is best for the Bulgarian clergy during the conversion..

published on 5/2/23 11:16 AM
Reenactment of the April Uprising in Panagyurishte, 1 May 2023

Bulgaria is celebrating 147 years since the April Uprising

On May 1, Panagyurishte is the center of celebrations for the 147th anniversary of the April Uprising. They began with a procession led by the Poibrenе Silver Cross. With it, the Flying rebel detachment of voivode Georgi Benkovski was blessed. A..

published on 5/1/23 3:35 PM