Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2024 All Rights Reserved

Day of Granny Marta, March 1 marking the end of winter and the coming of spring

Every year on March 1, people in Bulgaria put on red and white martenitsas – a symbol of health, happiness, marking the end of winter and the coming of spring.

Called Granny Marta, March 1 is the day on which we say goodbye to winter and wish one another health and prosperity. According to an ancient legend, the tradition of donning martenitsas goes back to ancient times when Thracians inhabited our lands; to them they were a symbol of the eternity of life and the immortality of the human spirit. According to a more recent legend, martenitsas are connected with the settlement of Bulgarians on the Balkan Peninsula during the times of Khan Asparuh. The tradition of pinning martenitsas onto one’s clothes is also observed in Romania, Moldova, Albania, Greece, Macedonia and Serbia 



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

Clouds will decrease, rain stops

Before midnight, the clouds will decrease and the wind will die down for the night. Tomorrow, 29 June, will be sunny. In the afternoon, there will be some cumulus clouds over the eastern half of the country and in the highlands, but there will be almost..

published on 6/28/24 7:05 PM
Ruse-Giurgiu bridge over the Danuce

Third Danube bridge and Ruse-Giurgiu ferry are key projects for the region

Bulgaria has a crucial role to play in the connectivity of several regions. It lies at a crossroads between the Balkan Peninsula, the Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea.   This was stated by Deputy Transport Minister Anna Natova at a meeting..

published on 6/28/24 5:10 PM

Over 7 thousand Bulgarians live in Albania

The Bulgarian population in Albania is 7,057 people - 3,691 men and 3,366 women. This is clear from the announcement of the National Statistical Institute INSTAT, quoted by BGNES.  This puts the Bulgarian community in third place in terms of..

published on 6/28/24 4:55 PM