ПРОГРАМИ
en de ru fr es sr gr al tr ro
Podcast in English
Share
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2024 All Rights Reserved

The day of Saints Peter and Paul is among the most widely celebrated summer feasts in Bulgaria

Photo: BGNES archive

The holy apostles Peter and Paul are two of the most revered, famous and influential apostles of the Christian Church.

In Bulgaria, both apostles are among the most revered saints. This is evidenced by the many churches and monasteries in Bulgaria, which bear the name of the holy supreme apostles Peter and Paul. On their feast day known in Bulgaria as Petrovden they all celebrate the bright holiday appropriately with the Holy Liturgy and church celebrations.

According to the Holy Bible, the holy apostles Peter and Paul ended their earthly lives on the same day - June 29, year 67 AD. The Holy Apostle Peter was condemned to a shameful crucifixion, as a pagan, and Saint Paul was cut down with the sword because he was a Roman citizen. 
In order to remember the sufferings of the founders of Christ's teachings and the first Christians, the Church introduced the so-called Peter’s or Apostolic Fast which always begins on the Sunday after Pentecost. 

Unlike the Great Lent, it is not so strict, but the fact that the Church has determined it speaks of the need for spiritual preparation preceding the great church holidays. This means that Christian believers should remember these spiritual teachers, whose names - Peter - "stone" and Paul - "small", speak of the firmness and humility to which Christ's followers should strive.

In the folk calendar, the holiday is associated with the harvest and the first apples – the so-called “petrovki, young animals and the cheerful fairs and gatherings marking the feast.

Many people in Bulgaria also celebrate their name’s day on Saints Peter and Paul’s Day (Petrovden), including those bearing the names Peter, Petya, Pavlina, Polina, Kamen, Pavel and their derived names.

Read more about folk beliefs related to the two apostles in the publication Tales and legends about the brothers Peter and Paul.




Compiled by Darina Grigorova

Photos: BGNES archive, BTA archive


Published by Rositsa Petkova

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.
Radio Bulgaria History and religion    Apostle Paul Apostle Peter Petrovden Saints Peter and Paul

More from category

On September 20, Prof. Ludmil Vagalinski's team discovered a statue in Heraclea Sintica, three days later they also discovered the head of the sculpture.

Floor mosaic and the head of a Roman statue discovered at Heraclea Sintica

The head of a statue has been unearthed during excavations in the great canal of the ancient city of Heraclea Sintica located in Southwestern Bulgaria, close to the town of Petrich. The head longs to the statue that was discovered a few days ago..

published on 9/23/24 4:48 PM

85 European archaeologists meet in Bulgaria to discuss "Frontier Landscapes along the Danube"

From 23 to 28 September, Sofia and Vidin will host the 7th International Conference on the Roman Danubian Provinces on the theme "Frontier Landscapes along the Danube", reports BNR Vidin. The initiative was taken by the University of Ferrara, Italy...

published on 9/23/24 8:45 AM
Memorial on Tsarevets hill in Veliko Tarnovo where the independence of Bulgaria was proclaimed

On 22 September 1908 Bulgaria gained its independence

The independence of Bulgaria was proclaimed on 22 September, 1908. After the most audacious independent act in Bulgarian history – the unification of Eastern Rumelia with the Principality of Bulgaria – Bulgarians once again demonstrated the power of..

published on 9/22/24 7:05 AM

WEATHER
Pick city: Sofía
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 7 | Max: 27
Partly Cloudy
Min: 14 | Max: 25
Partly Cloudy
Min: 13 | Max: 25
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 6 | Max: 29
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 15 | Max: 27
Partly Cloudy
Min: 10 | Max: 29
Partly Cloudy
Min: 8 | Max: 27
Partly Cloudy
Min: 7 | Max: 29
Partly Cloudy
Min: 10 | Max: 27
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 5 | Max: 26
Partly Cloudy
Min: 11 | Max: 28
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 11 | Max: 28
Partly Cloudy
Min: 8 | Max: 28
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 7 | Max: 24
Partly Cloudy
Min: 12 | Max: 29
Partly Cloudy
Min: 8 | Max: 30
Partly Cloudy
Min: 14 | Max: 27
Partly Cloudy
Min: 12 | Max: 30
Partly Cloudy
Min: 13 | Max: 28
Partly Cloudy
Min: 14 | Max: 28
Partly Cloudy
Min: 6 | Max: 23
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 9 | Max: 25
Partly Cloudy
Min: 10 | Max: 28
Partly Cloudy
Min: 11 | Max: 27
Partly Cloudy
Min: 10 | Max: 29
Partly Cloudy
Min: 9 | Max: 28
Partly Cloudy
Min: 11 | Max: 28
BULGARIA IN PICTURES
Which world-famous Bulgarian artist designed QSL cards for Radio Bulgaria?
Yasen Gyuzelev
Theodore Ushev
Christo Javacheff - Christo
Ilia Peikov
Lika Yanko

BULGARIANS ABROAD

Български English Русский Deutsch Српски Français Ελληνικά Español Shqip Türkçe Română
MOST VIEWED

85 European archaeologists meet in Bulgaria to discuss "Frontier Landscapes along the Danube"

From 23 to 28 September, Sofia and Vidin will host the 7th International Conference on the Roman Danubian Provinces on the theme "Frontier Landscapes..

published on 9/23/24 8:45 AM

Floor mosaic and the head of a Roman statue discovered at Heraclea Sintica

The head of a statue has been unearthed during excavations in the great canal of the ancient city of Heraclea Sintica located in Southwestern Bulgaria,..

published on 9/23/24 4:48 PM

english@bnr.bg

+359 2 9336 661

Общи условия за използване на сайта | Политика за поверителност | Политика за "бисквитки"