ПРОГРАМИ
en de ru fr es sr gr al tr ro
Podcast in English
Share
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Cheesefare Sunday prepares the faithful for Great Lent and repentance

Photo: BTA

Today is Cheesefare Sunday. According to Orthodox tradition, this day is observed on the eve of Great Lent, when Christians seek and give forgiveness to each other. It is also known as Sirni Zagovezni because it marks the last day before Lent, when those fasting are allowed to eat dairy products and eggs.

Photo: BGNES
During the evening service, the faithful turn to one another with the words "Be forgiven! Forgive me!", embracing as a sign of brotherly love. Families gather and children humbly ask their parents for forgiveness.
For the Church, Great Lent is the most important fast of all, because it spiritually prepares the faithful for the most glorious feast - the Resurrection of Christ. In this sense, forgiveness is seen as an essential condition for communion with God.

The Church encourages the faithful to cleanse their hearts of accumulated grievances and to embrace mercy, humility and reconciliation - to make peace with their enemies and show compassion to all.

This can be achieved through fasting which is not only a restriction of food, but also a renunciation of various comforts and distractions that feed the ego.It also helps one turn inward, reflect on one's sins, and sincerely repent for actions driven by pride.

Through this purification of soul and body, believers prepare for union with God through Holy Communion.

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.
Radio Bulgaria History and religion    cheesefare sunday sirni zagovezni

More from category

Bulgaria’s National Museum of Military History offers a free audio-visual journey through war and art

The newest exhibition at the National Museum of Military History in Sofia, 'War and the Creatives: A Journey Through Darkness' opens today, offering free entry as a gesture to those who were unable to visit during the recent renovations. Rather than..

published on 11/28/25 8:25 AM

Footsteps of Cumans, Pechenegs, and DNA reveal the secrets of Ryahovets fortress near Gorna Oryahovitsa

A 5,000-year-long history lies hidden in the ruins of the medieval fortress “Ryahovets” near the town of Gorna Oryahovitsa where active excavations began ten years ago. On this occasion, on November 17, the Historical Museum in Gorna Oryahovitsa..

published on 11/26/25 10:50 AM

Roman engineering genius comes to life beneath the streets of ancient Ratiaria

Just days ago, archaeologists uncovered part of the complex underground infrastructure that once served the Roman baths of Ratiaria - one of the most important ancient cities in Bulgaria’s northwest.   Founded in the 1st century in the area of..

published on 11/23/25 10:15 AM

WEATHER
Pick city: Sofía
Mostly Cloudy
Min: -3 | Max: 7
Partly Cloudy
Min: 3 | Max: 11
Partly Cloudy
Min: 0 | Max: 8
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 1 | Max: 5
Partly Cloudy
Min: -5 | Max: 3
Partly Cloudy
Min: -4 | Max: 8
Mostly Cloudy
Min: -4 | Max: 7
Mostly Cloudy
Min: -1 | Max: 5
Clear
Min: -2 | Max: 9
Partly Cloudy
Min: -6 | Max: 6
Partly Cloudy
Min: -1 | Max: 4
Partly Cloudy
Min: -4 | Max: 4
Partly Cloudy
Min: 1 | Max: 10
Partly Cloudy
Min: -5 | Max: 5
Partly Cloudy
Min: -2 | Max: 4
Partly Cloudy
Min: 2 | Max: 11
Partly Cloudy
Min: -1 | Max: 5
Mostly Cloudy
Min: -1 | Max: 5
Mostly Cloudy
Min: -2 | Max: 5
Partly Cloudy
Min: -1 | Max: 8
Partly Cloudy
Min: -5 | Max: 8
Partly Cloudy
Min: -4 | Max: 6
Partly Cloudy
Min: -4 | Max: 5
Mostly Cloudy
Min: -3 | Max: 8
Partly Cloudy
Min: 1 | Max: 8
Partly Cloudy
Min: -2 | Max: 7
Partly Cloudy
Min: -1 | Max: 8
BULGARIA IN PICTURES
Which world-famous Bulgarian artist designed QSL cards for Radio Bulgaria?
Yasen Gyuzelev
Theodore Ushev
Christo Javacheff - Christo
Ilia Peikov
Lika Yanko

BULGARIANS ABROAD

Български English Русский Deutsch Српски Français Ελληνικά Español Shqip Türkçe Română

english@bnr.bg

+359 2 9336 661

Общи условия за използване на сайта | Политика за поверителност | Политика за "бисквитки"