Every year on Saturday before the great Christian holiday of Pentecost, the Church marks the second All Souls' Day of the year, which the people call Cherry All Souls' Day because it always coincides with cherry harvest season.
In the calendar of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, All Souls' Day is celebrated on the Saturdays before Great Lent, before Pentecost and before Archangel's Day (November 8).
In every Orthodox church in the country, a liturgy and a memorial service are held, during which the priests read the names of deceased relatives of the people present.
It is a custom on this day for people to visit the graves of their deceased loved ones to clean them and decorate them with flowers. Then, they pour water and red wine over the dirt in memory of Christ's sacrifice for us and light a church candle.
It is also a tradition to pass boiled wheat, bread, wine, cherries and other foods to as many people as possible who say "May God forgive the dead”.
On All Souls' Day, believers do not do housework and direct their prayers and thoughts towards the spiritual salvation of the deceased.
Photos: BGNES, BTA
Today, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church commemorates St. Naum of Ohrid. Naum was a medieval Bulgarian scholar and writer. He was born around 830 and died on December 23, 910. He was of noble origin but he left everything and followed the Slavic..
With the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Arsenii of Sliven, a copy of the miraculous Athonite icon of the Most Holy Theotokos "She Who is Quick to Hear" was welcomed at the Saint George the Victorious Monastery in Pomorie. The Bulgarian..
In the secular chronicles of post-liberation Bulgaria, Metropolitan Kliment of Tarnovo is known as Vasil Drumev – a notable writer and public figure, he led an exceptionally spiritual, Christian life. For linguists, he is among the brightest zealots of..
At sunset on December 25, the Jewish community begins to celebrate Hanukkah. The holiday begins on the 25th day of the Jewish month of Kislev in the..
The Bulgarian Orthodox Church celebrates Christmas with solemn services. The festive services began on Christmas Eve, when the church held a solemn..
This year, the holiday of Christmas for the Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Diocese in the United States, Canada and Australia is especially exciting!..
Cloudy
Rain
Overcast, rain
Значителна облачност със сняг
Wet snow
Rain / Snow