Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2024 All Rights Reserved

Roma begin three days of New Year celebrations

Photo: BGNES

The Roma New Year celebrations begin tonight and will last for three days. For the Roma people, Vasilitsa, or better known as Bango Vasil (literally "limping Vasil"), is perhaps the most revered family holiday.

Families gather for dinner, the houses are locked and no one is allowed to go outside. On the table are roast chicken, cake, boule bread with a penny hidden in it (to bring wealth to whoever gets the piece with the coin) and sarmi (dolmas) with lucky charms of dogwood buds. At midnight, when the New Year begins, the doors of the house are opened to guests. But first the children have to greet the adults and wish them good health and happiness.

 According to legend, Bango Vasil is Saint Basil the Great - he came to the rescue and rebuilt a bridge destroyed by the devil so that the Roma could cross it. He became their saint and patron saint.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Natural gas price up by 4.5% in August

As of today, the price of natural gas increases by 4.5 percent and throughout the month it will be sold at a price of EUR 31.06 per megawatt hour, the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission announced. Final suppliers and persons who..

published on 8/1/24 2:33 PM

High tensions in parliament over proposal to award highest state order to former communist minister

The proposal of the caretaker cabinet that former communist minister Georgi Yordanov be awarded the "Stara Planina" order for merits in the field of culture and art caused disturbances in the plenary hall. In a declaration..

published on 8/1/24 1:58 PM

Bulgarian students win 6 medals at the International Linguistics Olympiad in Brazil

The Bulgarian students returned with 6 medals from the International Linguistics Olympiad in Brazil. The competition was held in the period July 23 to 31st with the participation of teams from nearly 40 countries, the press center..

published on 8/1/24 1:19 PM