Current News

Current News

KRUSTOVDEN (The Holy Cross Day)

KRUSTOVDEN (The Holy Cross Day)

9/14/2023 8:00:00 AM
Name day of everyone named Krustina, Krustyo, Krustan, Kancho, Stavri.































































































































































































































































According to the popular calendar from the Holy Cross Day on Bulgarians get ready for vintage time. They hoop the casks, the cart (carrying the grapes) and the tub it will be crushed in. Small and big baskets are woven for the grape gatherers. Therefore in some regions the Holy Cross Day is also called Grape-Harvest Day.  The sowing of the winter grain crops may start after that day, the seeds being “sanctified” for sowing. That day marks the “crossing” of the day with the night, i.e. they become equal in lenth. That day requires strict fasting.































































































































































































































































The East Orthodox Church celebrates one of its most important and solemn feasts – the Holy Cross Day. The legend of that church feast takes back to the times when the Christians had no possession over the cross on which Jesus Christ had been crucified. In the year 312 A.D., Emperor Constantine I the Great left with his army for Rome to liberate the capital city of the tyranny of Emperor Maxentius.































































































































































































































































Constantine’s army was inferior in number and so he asked God for support. In the following night, Constantine saw an inscription up on the sky saying “In hoc Vinces”, which means “This will help you win”.  A grand victory followed, and Constantine became the only Emperor of the Empire.  That prediction truly turned him towards Christianity, and he made the cross its emblem. The Christian religion was finally allowed and persecutions of Christians stopped.  A few years later, in the year 326, his mother, Queen Helena, visited the holy places of Palestine and wished to find the holy cross on which Jesus had been crucified. Following the instructions of an old Jew, after some hard digging, in 326 Queen Helena’s men managed to find the three crosses. Later, in 335, a small church was built on top of the cave of the grave of Jesus, which was officially sanctified on September 14th, 335, and that day has remained to be celebrated ever since as the Holy Cross Day.
ELISSEY feastday (Liseh’s Day; St.Eliseus) - June 14
The traditional feast of Eliseus (also called Ellisey, Lisseh, Lisso or Lissey) is one of the thunder-maker feasts, alongside with German and Bartholomew.
VARTOLOMEY (St Bartholomew’s Day) - June 11
The feast is called Vartolomey or also Varti-Lomi (in association of storm and hail).
ROUSSALSKA NEDELIA (Midsummer Week) - the week after Pentecost
It is the week from Spirits' Day until next Sunday, when healers called "kaloushari" visit people's homes. People believe that after their visit there will be only health.
PENTECOST / HOLY TRINITY (50 Days after Easter )
50 Days after Easter is the feastday Pentecost (Whitsunday), also called Holy Trinity.
Today we celebrate "The Day of Botev and All Freedom Fighters Who Lost Their Lives for the Independence of Bulgaria"
That day has been appointed by a decree of the Ministerial Council dated May 31st 1993. It was first celebrated back in 1884 in Vratsa and Plovdiv.
Bulgaria marks the International children’s day
Bulgaria marks the International children's day: June 1st. Festive celebrations, theatrical performances and concerts for the young ones are organized throughout the country.
Today is SPASSOVDEN
Today is SPASSOVDEN
5/25/2023 10:00:00 AM
SPASSOVDEN (always on Thursday, 40 Days after Easter - “Ascension Day” or “Ascension of the Lord”): The great feast called the Spassovden or Ascension Day is connected to the eternal human wish for health and joy. The feast is a non-fixed one, and it is celebrated 40 days after Easter, always on Thursday.
Bulgarian Literacy and Culture Celebration Day - May 24th
Ever since the earliest Bulgarian manuscript books (preserved until today), we can trace the tradition to honor the two saint brothers - St Cyril (on February 14th) and St Methodius (on April 6th) ...
St.St.Constantine and Helena Feast
St.St.Constantine and Helena Feast
5/21/2023 8:00:00 AM
May 21st is celebrated in Bulgaria as the church feast of St. St.Constatine and Helena.
The St. St. Cyril and Methodius Day
The St. St. Cyril and Methodius Day
5/11/2023 10:00:00 AM
The first celebration of the Day of the Holy Brothers, St.Cyril and St.Methodius, was organized by the eminent Plovdiv figure Nayden Gerov in 1851, in the city of Pl...