Celebrating St. Todor’s Day (VIDEO + PHOTOS) – Society – Bulgaria – NOVA News
And today we celebrate St. Todor’s Day.
The church honors St. Todor on Saturday of the first week of Lent.
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According to folk customs, St. Todor’s Day is celebrated mainly for the health of horses, so it is also called Horse Easter, it is for this most interesting moment of the holiday is kushi. The emotional holiday was also created in the town of Kula. The princely horse is named Ario.
The veneration of St. Todor / the great martyr Theodore Tyron / was attested in the early centuries of the Church. According to legend, the Byzantine emperor Julian the Apostate, knowing that 40 days before Easter Christians observed a strict fast, decided to mock them by ordering to sprinkle with the blood of idol sacrifices all lean foods on the market. However, St. Todor appeared before the patriarch and said: “It is forbidden for Christians to buy anything from the market, because the food is blood from idol sacrifices. Order those who do not have food at home to cook wheat with honey “. The emperor saw that his measure had no effect and ordered the food to be sold as before.
Out of gratitude, the Church celebrates the saint on the Saturday of the first week of Lent.
According to folk customs, St. Todor’s Day is celebrated mainly for the health of horses, so it is also called Horse Easter, it is for this most interesting moment of the holiday is kushi.
At sunrise, the men weave the tails and manes of the horses, decorate them with beads, tassels and flowers, and take them to a watering hole. The women knead ritual breads and give them to the horses. They also brew wheat, which is blessed in the church. Then comes the equestrian race. The winner is awarded, the horse is made with a special bridle, like a famous owner – a shirt or towel. The winner of the race rides his horse around all the homes to congratulate the holiday. Everywhere he is greeted with joy and his horse is watered.
In some parts of Bulgaria on this holiday rituals are performed, contact the young brides who are in the first year of the wedding. In Western Bulgaria, for example, the young bride, dressed in her bridal attire, goes to church on Friday night. She is accompanied by her mother-in-law, who carries a casserole with boiled corn and a special cake on top. The brides stay outside, and the mothers-in-law go inside, where the saint “reports what has been brought.” On the way home, they and the other women kick the brides. The returned corn is spread on the gardens to grow the sown.
In other areas another interesting ritual practice for health and fertility is performed. On the morning of the holiday the young bride prepares small rolls. Festively dressed, she goes around the homes of relatives, distributes them, and the family wishes her children. Finally, she goes to her parents, where her son-in-law and mother-in-law are, and a common table is set for her.
The Bekane custom is famous in the Rhodope region. After the church service, the hostess gives each member of the family to eat a few grains of peas dipped in warm water the day before. From there he throws a handful at the ceiling for everyone and for the cattle. The girls string beads of peas or chickpeas soaked in water, decorate them with silk threads and give them to their chosen ones, and they return them gifts.
On this day Todor, Teodor, Teodora, Bozhidar, Bogdana, Naiden celebrate their name day.
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