On 8 November the Bulgarian Orthodox Church marks the day of the holy angels and Archangel Michael, leader of the celestial forces in their fight against darkness and evil. There are seven first or archangels standing next to God, each with his own mission. One reveals the mysteries to mortals, another is an angel of healing. Archangel Michael is guardian of the souls and a warrior against evil. That is why he is often depicted with a sword of fire and a spear, piercing Satan.

In popular belief, Archangel Michael is one of several brothers, warrior-saints, and when the world was divided among them he was given the souls of the dead. Archangel Michael takes the souls of the dying, and hands them an ordinary apple. For this reason he is seen as the angel of death, hence the names he is given in popular tradition – doushovadnik, vadidoushnik – soul taker. Bulgarians believe that if a man dies smiling, Archangel Michael has given him an apple of gold.

On this day sacrificial rites are performed, family services are organized in church as are village fetes and festivals. The Saturday preceding Archangel Michael’s Day is Michaelmas (Archangel’s) All Souls Day – one of the major days of the dead throughout the year and it is called Archangel’s because Michael is perceived as the angel of death. If one has lived the life of the righteous, one’s soul shall be pure when it is taken by Archangel Michael.

The day of Archangel Michael is the second biggest autumn feast day in Bulgarian folklore tradition, the first being St. Dimitar. In many parts of the country an animal is sacrificed on this day and two kinds of special ritual loaves are baked, called bogovitsa (derived from the Bulgarian word for God) and Rangelovo blyudo (food of the archangel). The oldest man of the household would break the bread, make the sign of the cross and say: “Archangel Michael, St. Nikola and all saints, help us, we worship you and make an offering, so a man shall be born and he shall grow to reach the ceiling.” Then he would pour wine from an earthenware bowl into the cupped hands of the woman of the house who would spray it around the house for a good harvest and fertility. She too says: “Archangel Michael, St. Nikola and all saints, help us, we worship you and make an offering, so the wheat shall grow waist-high!” The meal on this day includes mutton or hogget, boiled wheat, beans and red wine.

Today is the name day of all people called: Angel, Angela, Gavril, Mila, Milen, Milena, Mihail, Ognyan, Plamen, Rada, Radoslav Rayko, Rangel, Raya and their derivatives.

November 8 is also the day of the police and all people working at the interior ministry.

English version: Milena Daynova