Every year on 21 November the church marks the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, one of the 12 Great Feasts of the year, celebrated by both the Eastern Orthodox and the Catholic Church.
By a decision of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church from 1929, the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary is also celebrated in Bulgaria as the Day of the Christian Family. It coincides with the start of the Nativity Fast. On this day, at the end of church service in Eastern Orthodox houses of worship, believers receive Holy Communion.
Going to church as a family on this day symbolized the entry into the temple by 3-year old Mary, the future Mother of God. It is a reminder to parents of their spiritual obligations to their children. After returning from church the family gathers around the table which has always been a symbol of a strong family bond. The table is not cleared away so that when Virgin Mary comes during the night she will have something to eat and will bless the house.
Read more about the Day of the Christian Family here.
In the world of the Thracians, who had no written language, the most important messages were conveyed through art. The Letnitsa Treasure is precisely such a message — about power, beliefs, and the path to wisdom . This unique discovery, dated between..
On November 21, the day of the Presentation of Virgin Mary (or the Entry of the most Holy Theotokos into the Temple), the Orthodox Bulgarians also celebrate the Day of the Christian Family and the Learning Youth. The holiday was established by the..
During a visit by the Radio Bulgaria team to the Bulgarian Orthodox Parish "Nativity of the Mother of God" in Geneva, we had the pleasure of meeting Ventseslav Sabev, the son of long-time church history professor at the Sofia Theological Seminary,..
Partly Cloudy
Mostly Cloudy