Share

Text size

Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Residents of Karaisen celebrate Ivanovden with authentic ritual for chasing away evil

published on 1/7/24 11:45 AM

Photo: Zdravka Maslyankova, BNR correspondent

With an authentic ritual that has no analogue in Bulgaria, the residents of the village of Karaisen, Northern Bulgaria, celebrate St. John's Day (Ivanovden in Bulgarian). The holiday is called "Ivanovi Vlachugi" (dragging, pulling on Saint John's Day) and has been passed down since time immemorial, and today it is kept by the local village residents, reports BNR correspondent in Veliko Tarnovo Zdravka Maslyankova.

The name of the ritual comes from the pulling to the water fountain of persons with the name Ivan, maidens and bachelors, as well as all young people who have become families in the previous year. In Karaisen, people believe that "Ivanovi vlachugi" cleanse bad energy and drive away evil, bring health and prosperity to the entire village.

According to museologist Diana Miteva, this tradition comes from the conversion of the Bulgarians to Christianity, which began in 864, because when people were baptized, they were dragged, as it was a forced process.

The ritual is marked every year. In the past, it was very popular in the entire Veliko Tarnovo region.

Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!

Radio Bulgaria Life Christianity Ivanovden Ivanovi vlachugi Saint John's Day Veliko Tarnovo

Gallery

More from category

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Natalia Rashkova

Research work by Bulgarian scholar traces new directions in ethnology

When a contribution in the sphere of science is transformed into the basis for subsequent in-depth research the boundaries between countries and continents seem to melt away – literally and figuratively. That is precisely what happened during a..

updated on 10/20/25 12:45 PM

Sofia hosts finals of “World’s Largest” Escape Room Championship

Sofia is hosting the finals of ER Champ 2025 — described by the organisers as the world’s largest international escape room competition . Taking place on 19 and 20 October, the event will bring together twelve teams from around the globe , each of..

published on 10/19/25 8:26 AM

Festival “Once Upon a Time… When Bread Had a Soul” revives local traditions in the Petrich region.

More than 500 people from across Bulgaria are gathering today in the village of General Todorov, near Petrich, for the national festival “Once Upon a Time… When Bread Had a Soul,” the village mayor, Stanislav Stankov, has announced. Now in its fourth..

published on 10/19/25 8:12 AM

1
2
3
4
5
6
..
10

WEATHER

Pick city: Sofía

Mostly Cloudy
Min: 3 | Max: 16

BULGARIA IN PICTURES

Which world-famous Bulgarian artist designed QSL cards for Radio Bulgaria?

MOST VIEWED

Research work by Bulgarian scholar traces new directions in ethnology

When a contribution in the sphere of science is transformed into the basis for subsequent in-depth research the boundaries between countries and..

updated on 10/20/25 12:45 PM

shopify analytics ecommerce
tracking