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.
ROUSSALSKA NEDELIA  (Midsummer Week) - no fixed date
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. P...
ZADOUSHNITZA (All Souls’ Day) - no fixed date
ZADOUSHNITZA  (All Souls’ Day): In the Thrace region they call it "Spassovska Zadoushnitza", while in North Bulgaria it is known as "Petdesetnishka" (Pentecost's) be...
YEREMIYA / JEREMIAH (Snake Day) - May  1
Name day of everyone named Maya, Ermena, Hermelina, Tamara, Ermenko.Old people call the first day of May, Jeremiah (i.e. Irmin day) or Zamski day (i.e. Snake Day) and say that whoever works in the...
BORISOVDEN (St. Boris  day) - May 2
Name day of everyone named Boris, Borislav, Borislava (deriving from “pine”). In mythology the pine tree is the symbol of immortality for it was considered to be in fact the body of the dead and ...
ST. IRENE - May 5
Name day of everyone named Irin, Irina, Irene, Iriney, Mira, Miroslav (which means ‘peace’). The Holy Great Martyr St. Irene lived during the fourth century and until her Baptism was called Penelo...
Aderlez
On may 5th the muslim population in the Rhodopi montains starts selebrating Aderlez - a custom that marks the summer agricultural and cattle growing cycle for the year ...
GERGYOVDEN   (St Georges Day) - May 6
Name day of everyone named Georgi (George), Gergana, Ginka, Gina, Galya, Ganka, Gancho, Gyuro/a, Gyurga, Gotse.Ritual dishes on the feast table should include: roast lamb, ritual bread, fresh milk...
ST. CYRIL AND ST. METHODIUS - May 11
Name day fo everyone named Kiril and Metodi. The name Kiril has the meaning of „lordly” (from Old Greek), while Metodi means “the one who studies, who follows a method’. The church feastday of th...
GERMAN GRADUSHKAR (German, the Hail Man) - May 12
Name day of German.The hail men in Bulgarian folklore are four in number, German or Guerman (May 12), Bartholomew (June 11), Lisseh (June 14), and Vido's Day or Vidovden (June 15), but the fi...
ST. ST. CONSTANTINE AND HELENA - May 21
Name day of everyone named Konstantin, Kostadin, Kostadinka, Koycho, Dinko, Elena, Elen, Eli, Elitsa.May 21st is celebrated in Bulgaria as the church feast of St.St.Constatine and Helena. The day ...