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School for “lazarki” girls opens doors at Etar open-air ethnographic museum

Photo: Etar open-air ethnographic museum

Girls from Gabrovo and the surrounding area started training at the school for “lazarki” girls, BNR’s Velina Mahlebashieva reports. The initiative, which has been helping preserve tradition for 10 years, belongs to the Etar ethnographic open-air museum.

The girls will learn about the rituals connected with Lazarovden, St. Lazarus day, the symbolism of maiden rituals, ritual songs, dances and well-wishing. The beautiful spring festival dedicated to love and fertility falls on the Saturday during the week preceding Easter. On this day the girls will don their best clothes and sing and dance in the same way girls of times past did. According to tradition, these are rituals girls perform before they can marry.

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