Bulgaria: Facts & Stats

CULTURE

Traditions:

Bulgaria is a land steeped in tradition. Many of its ancient traditions are still practiced today.

Christmas In Bulgaria: there is a common belief that the whole next year is correlated with Christmas Eve; the forthcoming year will be as good as this special evening. Therefore the whole family becomes involved in performing the rituals.

For Orthodox Christians, Christmas comes after 40 days and nights of fasting. The forty-day Advent, started on November 15, finishes on this day. Bulgaria's Orthodox Church recommends 13 different foods on the Christmas-eve meal (salt, pepper and sugar are seen as separate foods). The foods are vegetable and odd in number for luck. Beans are a traditional Christmas Eve dish in Bulgaria. At midnight on Christmas, the koledari (carollers) start their round. Only boys participate as major figures in the ritual known as Koleduvane. In the cities, the koledari tradition is not followed as strictly as in the villages. However, city dwellers should not be surprised if kids (survakarcheta) knock on the door after midnight on Christmas to sing a song, wishing happiness, love, health and wealth during the coming year.

Name Days: "Name Days" are celebrated in addition to birthdays in Bulgaria. Most Bulgarians value their “Name Day” more than their birthday. A Name Day is celebrated by people named after a particular Saint. Bulgaria is largely a Christian country. On their 'Name Day' the person is to light a candle in the local church. These special “Name Days” are celebrated with a family meal.

Palm Sunday is one of the biggest Bulgarian holidays. ? “holiday of flowers and trees”, rich in a variety of customs, songs and melodies. Palm Sunday is held annually on the last Sunday before Easter. Being one of the most beautiful spring holidays it celebrates the day of the entrance of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem.

The Lazarovden ceremonies are the best-loved Bulgarian traditions. The Saturday before Easter is a festival devoted to young girls, pastures, fields and woods. In Bulgaria's village communities, Lazarovden was quite an event in the life of every young girl, for then she could demonstrate to the townspeople that she had already grown to be a "complete maiden". The girls would gather in groups of about ten at the house of the prettiest one and start from there with their songs to make a round of the village.

Celebrations:

New Years Day - Vasiliovden (Saint Vassil’s Day)

Name Day - a Name Day is the feast day of the saint after whom one is named.

Sirni Zagovezni - marks the beginning of the Great Lent

Epiphany - On January 6th the Bulgarian people celebrate Epiphany or St. Jordan's Day

Trifon Zarezan - Bulgarian ritual on cutting the vines

Valentine's Day - On February 14, Bulgarians celebrate both Trifon Zarezan and Valentine Day

Baba Marta - an interesting ancient tradition celebrated on the first day of March.

National Day - March 3 - Bulgaria's "Day of Independence"

Kukeri - A ritual to ensure the advent of Spring

Palm Sunday - Bulgaria celebrates Palm Sunday as the "Holiday of Flowers and Trees"

Easter - In 2009 the Orthodox Easter is on Sunday, April 19

Day of Culture - honors two missionary brothers, Sts. Cyril and Methodius, who developed the first Bulgarian alphabet

Enyovden (June 24) is a festival connected with the summer solstice.

26 October is devoted to St. Dimitri of Thessalonica

Nikulden is "The Day of Saint Nikolas" - December 6

20 December is 'Ignazhden' in Bulgaria

Christmas - Bulgaria celebrates Christmas for three days starting on December 25

December 27 is STEFANOVDEN (Name Day of St. Stephen or Stefan’s Day)

Alcohol:

The legal drinking age for alcohol beverages is officially 18.

Sports and Hobbies:

The most popular sport in Bulgaria is football. Bulgaria's greatest success in this field was achieved in the 1994 World Football Championship held in the US. The most popular Bulgarian football player is Hristo Stoichkov, who earned world fame during the several seasons he spent in Spain's team of Barcelona, after this in Japan and USA, and now he is a coach of National football team of Bulgaria.

Bulgaria has also good rhythmic gymnasts, athletes, wrestlers, weight lifters, tennis players (the Maleev sisters), and rowers. Some major Bulgarian achievements in ice dancing are already a fact - silver medals from the latest European Figure Skating Championships.

Bulgaria has great chess players. The current world champion for man is Veselin Topalov and current Women’s World Champion is Antoaneta Stefanova.

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