Traditions & NameDays

As early as 7000 years B.C., 3000 years before the Egyptians, traders from this land, now known as Bulgaria, had crossed up and down the Mediterranean. This long and winding history gave a source of not only great national pride but also an inspiration for a new national spirit. Much has perished through all these millennia, but even more has remained - a rich spiritual world which will shower you with the colours, rhythms and melodious songs of living Bulgarian folklore, the unfading beauty of Bulgarian arts and crafts, the gaiety and vivacity of Bulgarian festivals and customs, the piquant taste of Bulgarian cuisine and the delicate fragrance of Bulgarian wines.

Plovdiv region and the city, villages and towns therein, with its remnants of the Byzantine, Roman and Ottoman civilizations, count among their wealth an unusually diverse culture, parts of which have remained unchanged for centuries. In this section of Plovdiv Guide, we offer you a trip through the land which has been so richly endowed by God with elegant beauty and invite you to discover its traditions, customs and rituals.
Name day of Galia, Galina, Galin....
ST.ALEXIS, the Man of God - March 17
Name day of everyone named: Alexey, Alexa, Alexi, Alex, Aleko.St. Alexis was born at Rome into the family of the pious and poverty-loving Euphemianus and Aglais. The couple was childless for a lon...
Nameday of Yakov (Jacob)...
BLAGOVESHTENIE (ANNUNCIATION DAY) - March 25
Name day of everyone named Blagovest/?, Blagoy, Blaga, Vangel, Evangelina, Bonka.Ritual table: fish (baked or boiled), flat cake, onion pastry. The feast is also known under the name of Blago...
ARCHANGEL GABRIEL (Synaxis of the Holy Archangel Gabriel) - March 26
Nameday of Gavrail, Gabriel, Gavril, Gabriella The Archangel Gabriel was chosen by the Lord to announce to the Virgin Mary about the Incarnation of the Son of God from Her, to the great rejoicing ...
Name day of everyone namedAlbena, Boyan, Boyana, Boyka, Boyko, Boycho (although they would rather celebrate at Epiphany Day, i.e. Yordanovden - January 6th)....
Nameday of Avram (the BG name for Abraham)...
MARTINIA Feast (St. Martin’s Day) - April 14
Name day of everyone named Martin, Martina.The “Martinia” is a church feast, celebrated with traditional rituals only in certain parts of the country. In some southwest regions, people perform the...
ST. MARK - April 25
Name day of everyone named Marko.The Holy Apostle and Evangelist Mark, also known as John Mark, was one of the Seventy Apostles, and was also a nephew of St. Barnabas. He was born at Jerusalem. Th...
MESNI ZAGOVEZNI (Meat Fasting Day)
Mesni Zagovezni (Meat Fasting Day)