On January 18, the Orthodox Church revers the memory of St. Athanasius the Great. According to popular belief, St. Athanasius is a patron of winter storms. On horseback, donned in a silk shirt, goes St. Athanasius into the forest and yells, “Go away, yo, winter, come, thee, summer!” And according to the Bulgarian popular belief, he does that each year on January 18, and that is why it is known as the Winter Atanasovden or Amidst Winter in the popular calendar.
It is said that from January 18 the day begins to grow by one millet seed. In some regions of the country people used to believe that plague was born on this day. To protect themselves from the deadly disease, people used to sacrifice a black hen to prepare a ritual meal.
Atanas, Atanaska, Nasko, Tina, Tinka, Tanyu, Taska celebrate their name day today.
Today, The Bulgarian Orthodox Church honors the memory of Saint John the Baptist, also known as Saint John the Forerunner, because he prepared people for the coming of the Savior. The day dedicated to Saint John the Baptist, known in Bulgaria as..
On January 6, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church is marking Epiphany. According to the Bible, on this day John the Baptist baptized Jesus Christ in the Jordan River. Traditionally, a festive Epiphany liturgy is held in churches, water is blessed, and then..
The fighting for Sofia within the framework of the Russo-Turkish War (1877-1878) began on December 25, 1877. On January 3, 1878, the city's commandant Osman Nuri Pasha began to withdraw from Sofia. His plans to set the city on fire were thwarted..
Atanasovden, also known as Midwinter in our folk calendar, is a holiday on which the Orthodox Church and our folklore pay tribute to St. Athanasius the..
Fog
Partly Cloudy
Mostly Cloudy
Cloudy
Clear