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

On All Souls’ Day Orthodox Christians honor the memory of their dearly departed

Photo: archive

Today, on All Souls’ Day-Meatfare Saturday, Orthodox Christians honor the memory of their dearly departed. All Souls’ Day always takes place before the start of the Great Lent. On this day, after the Saturday service, Orthodox Christians pay tribute to the dead by attending a common memorial ceremony in the temples at which bread, wine and wheat are laid out, as well as the favourite food of the deceased. 

The priests thurify the food with incense and say the names of the departed. After the prayer the food is handed out. On Friday before Meatfare Saturday, the relatives of the deceased go to their graves to clean them, plant flowers and pray for their souls. They hand out food with the words: God rest their souls.




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

Morning mist, sunny skies by day

On Wednesday at dawn, temperatures will range between 8 and 14°C , and up to 18°C along the Black Sea coast. In Sofia, it will be around 9°C.  In the easternmost regions, low clouds are expected before noon, with morning mists possible in some low-lying..

published on 9/23/25 7:05 PM
Bulgaria's Minister of Defense Atanas Zapryanov

Bulgaria will join the drone wall along the EU’s eastern borders

Bulgaria will join the drone wall that the European Union plans to create soon along its eastern borders. Minister of Defense Atanas Zapryanov confirmed the news in Veliko Tarnovo, which was announced by the European Commission Spokesperson Thomas..

published on 9/23/25 5:57 PM
Lyubomir Kirov

MFA is following the case of mobilised Bulgarian citizen in Ukraine

The Bulgarian Foreign Ministry is monitoring the case of Lyubomir Kirov, a dual Bulgarian-Ukrainian citizen who has reportedly been mobilised in Ukraine despite holding a disability certificate (TELK)   for a serious arm impairment.  The..

published on 9/23/25 5:48 PM