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

Orthodox Christians celebrate Ascension of Jesus

Photo: BGNES

Today the church celebrates the Ascension of Jesus. The holiday is always marked on Thursday, 40 days after Easter. According to Christians, after the Resurrection Jesus remained on earth and preached among his disciples. On the 40th day he appeared to his disciples for the last time, talked to them and led them out of Jerusalem to the Mount of Olives before ascending to heaven. In Bulgarian the day is also called Spasovden (derivative of the verb meaning “to save”), because the Ascension completed the act of salvation.

According to folklore beliefs, Spasovden is related to the cult of the dead. On the eve of the holiday, people who are ill and infertile women used to sleep in meadows where dittany grew in order to get healthy. The day is a holiday of bakers and confectioners. People named Spas, Spasena, Spasimir, Spasimira, Spasiana, Spaska, etc. also celebrate today.


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

Bulgaria's largest church from the National Revival Period celebrates its feast on the Assumption of the Theotokos

The history of the largest Bulgarian church in Bulgaria from the National Revival period "The Assumption of the Virgin Mary" in the town of Pazardzhik is long and interesting. It is assumed that the first church there was built in the 17th century. It..

published on 8/15/25 7:25 AM

110 years since the test flight of the first Bulgarian aeroplane

On 10 August 1915, the first Bulgarian-built aeroplane took to the skies for a test flight in Bozhurishte. It was designed by inventor Assen Yordanov, whose name still features in the textbooks used to train pilots and engineers today. From an early..

published on 8/10/25 8:50 AM

Exhibition in Sozopol showcases monuments from ancient cities around the Black Sea

A trilingual exhibition titled “Egyptian Cults around the Black Sea” opens today at 6 PM at the Archaeological Museum in Sozopol , according to BNR – Burgas. Part of an international research project, the exhibition is organized by the Institute of..

published on 8/7/25 5:55 PM