Podcast in English

Kurban Bayrami begins with Arife day

The biggest holiday for Muslims, which marks the end of the Hajj pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca, is Eid al-Adha. It begins in the evening hours of the day of Arife (June 27), when Muslims pay respect to their deceased relatives..

published on 6/27/23 1:54 PM

On the eve of Midsummer's Day “the sky opens”

Midsummer's Day or Enyovden in Bulgaria is always celebrated on June 24, when the church honors the birth of St. John the Baptist. Folklore traditions are associated with the day of the summer solstice, when the sun "twinkles" and "plays" at..

published on 6/23/23 6:43 PM
Nedyalka Keranova

Remembering folk singer Nedyalka Keranova

April 24 marked the 82 nd anniversary since the birth of Nedyalka Keranova- one of the most remarkable voices of Bulgarian folklore, who passed away in 1966 at the age of 55. Our listener and friend Noris Balabanyan who lives in the USA and whose..

published on 5/8/23 5:05 AM

Remembering Petar Stupel with the song Late Meetings

Today we mark the 100th birth anniversary of composer Petar Stupel . He was born on April 27, 1923 in Sofia, in the family of professional musicians. Petar Stupel studied at the State Academy of Music "Pancho Vladigerov", majoring in Piano under..

published on 4/27/23 6:05 AM

Palm Sunday and the beauty of spring

Palm Sunday, Tsvetnitsa in Bulgarian (the word comes from tsvete , flower) is a Christian holiday loved and looked forward to by many, commemorating the Jesus Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem. It is a moveable feast, always falling on..

published on 4/9/23 5:55 AM

Cheesefare Sunday reminds us of the meaning of forgiveness and Christ’s infinite love

Sunday after Mesni Zagovezni or Meat Shrovetide is the last day on which everyone who decides to follow the Great Lent according to the Orthodox calendar can eat dairy products, fish and eggs. Therefore, on Cheesefare Sunday before..

published on 2/26/23 8:00 AM
Maestro Diko Iliev meets with a military orchestra

Iskarsko Horo- Diko Iliev’s first horo

Diko Iliev- composer, conductor, a sui generis talent, a unique phenomenon in Bulgarian culture - authored dozens of marches, waltzes, horo chain dances, ruchenitsi and  brass band music . For decades, Diko Iliev’s Dunavsko Horo has been..

published on 2/17/23 6:05 AM

The first guest on Saint Ignatius’ Day blesses our home

On December 20, we pay homage to the holy martyr ‎Ignatius the God-bearer. According to the holy books,  Ignatius was the child mentioned in the Gospel of Matthew. The evangelist describes the dispute between Christ's apostles about who among them..

published on 12/20/22 8:05 AM

Christians celebrate the Day of St. Andrew, who preached in the lands of today's Bulgaria

Andrew the Apostle, known in the Orthodox tradition as the First Called ( Parvozvani ) is among the most revered saints in Bulgaria and November 30 is a major holiday. According to researchers, the apostle preached Christianity in the..

published on 11/30/22 10:41 AM

Songs of protest: Tomorrow starts from today

"Don't promise me anything for tomorrow, today I already cherish every minute... I want a flower – only one, but now... Because tomorrow starts from today...". This is an excerpt from the popular pop song from the 1990s "Tomorrow starts from today". An..

published on 11/10/22 3:07 PM