Always on Sunday, eight weeks before Easter, Orthodox Christians mark Mesni Zagovezni or Meat Shrovetide. During the liturgy, the Church recalls the image of the Last Judgment through the texts in the Holy Scriptures. The themes of sinfulness and retribution in the afterlife are touched upon there, therefore the call to the faithful is to detach themselves from the daily grind and devote themselves to good deeds during the lent.
The day is marked in a family circle, as meat dishes (usually chicken or rooster) are present at the festive table. It is the last day before Lent, when it is allowed to eat meat. In folk traditions, this is also the last Sunday, during which young people can gather for dances and singing.
On the third day of Christmas, December 27, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church commemorates the memory of Saint Stephen, the first Christian martyr. His name means "crown" or "wreath" and comes from the Greek "στέφανος" (stéphanos). It symbolizes victory..
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 Hebrew calendar and, depending on the year, can fall in November or December. By lighting 9..
The Bulgarian Orthodox Church celebrates Christmas with solemn services. The festive services began on Christmas Eve, when the church held a solemn vigil. Hundreds of laypeople gathered at the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sofia, where..
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