Traditions & NameDays

DIMITROVDEN (St. Demetrius’s Day) - October 26

Name day of everyone named Dimiter, Dimitrina, Dimo, Mitra, Dragan, Drago, Dimka.

According to traditional concepts, that day (called Dimitrovden or Mitrovden) marks the beginning of winter. “St George (celebrated on May 6th) brings summer, St Demetrius (October 26th) brings winter”. It is believed that St Demetrius rides a red horse and the first snowflakes fall off his beard. First snow is expected shortly after the feast. According to the tradition, this day marks the end of the period for which seasonal workers - shepherds, cattle herds and farm hands have been hired. In Bulgaria the day honoring St. Demetrius is (Dimiter is the BG version of Demetrius).

That day, the summer-time hired workers or servants, whose guardian St. Dimiter was, are either freed by their masters or are priced to work for a whole year, usually until Gergiovden next year (May 6). Once priced, the servants could not leave their masters under any circumstances. In the past it was said that that was the day when “some got enslaved while others were free to go”.

As a forerunner of winter, in popular beliefs St Demetrius is associated with the netherworld – the world of the dead and of the forefathers. The so-called “Dimitrovska Zadushnitsa” (All Souls’ Day) is on the Saturday preceding the St Demetrius’ Day.

There used to be a belief connecting St Demetrius’ Day to the divine nature of the Moon – if there was a full moon that meant the next year beehives would be rich in honey. Sometimes people took their cattle out andcarefully watched the cows to see where they would lick themselves. If it were on the front the cold days of winter would be in the beginning, if they licked themselves on the back then the cold days would be in the end of the winter.

The church holiday is in honor of the Holy Martyr St Demetrius. His life tells that the Saint was born in the town of Thessaloniki. After the death of his father, Demetrius became a chief of town, accepted the Christian religion and started teaching the residents of Thessaloniki that they should not believe and pray to idols but that they should open their hearts to Jesus Christ. That was why emperor Maximillian ordered that Demetrius was thrown in a dungeon. Even locked in prison, St. Demetrius continued spreading his faith among the people and because of that he was murdered – speared in the ribs.  After some time, during the digging of a ditch, St. Demetrius’ holy remains, which radiated healing and fragrant “miro”, were discovered.

In the church songs St. Demetrius is glorified as a martyr, keeper of kings, man who disapproved wars and a harbor for those seeking help. These last images of St. Demetrius find their own place in the folklore rituals.