Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Bulgarian Orthodox Church marks Cheesefare Sunday

Photo: http://kanew.wordpress.com

Bulgarian Orthodox Church marks on March 13 Cheesefare Sunday (Forgiveness Sunday). The feast falls on the seventh Sunday before Orthodox Easter. By practicing forgiveness with one another, Orthodox Christians hope to invite God’s forgiveness and to begin Lent with a spirit of humility. Young Bulgarians bow to the elderly ones asking forgiveness for their offences. Chessefare Sunday is the last day before the start of the Great Lent. On this day strictly observant Orthodox Christians eat cheese, milk and other dairy food. Forgiveness Sunday marks the end of the Cheese Week, when meat products are forbidden, but dairy food may still be consumed. According to a popular egg custom performed in Bulgaria, people use a string or a thread to suspend a boiled egg from the ceiling. The family members circle round the thread and start knocking it with their foreheads to make it swing. Each one participating in the custom tries to catch the egg with their mouths. Sometimes a piece of cheese or halva (sweet made of sesame seed and sugar or other nut butters and sugar) substitute the boiled egg. On Forgiveness Sunday all eparchies with the Bulgarian Orthodox Church serve solemn morning and evening liturgies. 




Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Drop in temperatures expected on Sunday

On Sunday, the minimum temperatures will be from 10 to 15°C. In Sofia, it will be around 12°C. A cold front will pass through the country. Cloudiness will be variable, often significant, and from west to east there will be short, temporarily intense..

published on 3/15/25 6:15 PM
PM Rosen Zhelyazkov

Prime Minister says Bulgaria ready to participate in peace and security solution in Ukraine

Europe must continue to plan in a collective and coordinated manner its next steps in ensuring a just and lasting peace in Ukraine . Together with our European and transatlantic partners, Bulgaria is ready to participate in the peace and security..

published on 3/15/25 5:35 PM

ING bank: Changes in the Bulgarian parliament are a new uncertainty for the eurozone

Political stability in Bulgaria continues to be crucial for the adoption of the euro in 2026, writes ING think, the analytical unit of ING bank. The analysis is titled “Monitoring Bulgaria: Euro adoption is looming, but not yet a fact,” BTA reported...

published on 3/15/25 3:35 PM