Text size

Roma begin three days of New Year celebrations

published on 1/13/24 6:35 AM

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!

Radio Bulgaria News Bango Vasil celebrations Roma New Year

More from category

Borislav Sarafov, Acting Prosecutor General

Acting Prosecutor General has appealed against the termination of the process to elect his successor

Acting Prosecutor-General Borislav Sarafov has appealed against the decision by the Plenum of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) to suspend the procedure for the election of the Chief Prosecutor, reports BNR journalist Silvia Velikova. The Plenum of..

published on 2/6/25 4:53 PM

Vazrazhdane party calls for ban on RES on agricultural land

Vazrazhdane is renewing its initiative to ban the construction of photovoltaic and wind power plants on agricultural land owned by municipalities and the state . Speaking on the sidelines of the National Assembly, the party's deputy Daniel Petrov..

published on 2/6/25 4:34 PM

Eurostat: Bulgaria has the lowest minimum wage in the EU

In January 2025, Bulgaria had the lowest minimum wage among EU member states - 551 euros , according to Eurostat data . Luxembourg had the highest - 2 638 euro per month. Over the past decade, since 2015, the minimum wage in Bulgaria has increased..

published on 2/6/25 3:14 PM