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

Roma begin three days of New Year celebrations

Photo: BGNES

The Roma New Year celebrations begin tonight and will last for three days. For the Roma people, Vasilitsa, or better known as Bango Vasil (literally "limping Vasil"), is perhaps the most revered family holiday.

Families gather for dinner, the houses are locked and no one is allowed to go outside. On the table are roast chicken, cake, boule bread with a penny hidden in it (to bring wealth to whoever gets the piece with the coin) and sarmi (dolmas) with lucky charms of dogwood buds. At midnight, when the New Year begins, the doors of the house are opened to guests. But first the children have to greet the adults and wish them good health and happiness.

 According to legend, Bango Vasil is Saint Basil the Great - he came to the rescue and rebuilt a bridge destroyed by the devil so that the Roma could cross it. He became their saint and patron saint.



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

February begins with springlike temperatures

On Saturday, fog or low clouds will cover the plains and sheltered valleys. Minimum temperatures will be between 0 and 5°C, around 1°C in Sofia. Sunny weather will prevail during the day, with more clouds in the northeast and in the afternoon in the..

published on 1/31/25 7:05 PM

Tax authorities urge influencers and online content creators to pay taxes

In the midst of the campaign to pay taxes for the past 2024, the National Revenue Agency has reminded influencers, bloggers, vloggers and other online content creators, as well as traders on social networks, that they are obliged to declare their income..

published on 1/31/25 6:14 PM

Taxi drivers block access to Sofia Airport Terminal 2

Taxi drivers gathered at Sofia Airport in protest, blocking access to Terminal 2 for a short time on Friday afternoon. They are unhappy with the new rules for staying at the airport, which came into force on January 9. According to the new rules, one..

updated on 1/31/25 6:11 PM