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Roma people in Bulgaria celebrate Vasilitsa - the old-style new year

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Photo: BGNES archive

The Roma community in Bulgaria is celebrating Vasilyevden /or Vasilitsa, Bango Vasili (literally the Lame Vasil)/, also known as the Roma New Year, reports the Amalipe Foundation. 
Traditionally, the holiday is celebrated for three days, starting from the night of January 13 to 14. The celebration of Vasilitsa is associated with several Roma legends about Saint Vasil, the protector of the Roma, who restores a bridge over which they cross after this bridge was destroyed by the Devil, and saves the drowning Roma. Poultry meat is served on the table - goose, rooster or hen. 

The dinner on January 13 plays an extremely important role and is filled with rich symbolism. It is mandatory that the doors of the house be tightly closed from the moment the dinner begins until midnight - no one from the family goes outside and no outsider is allowed to enter the house. 


Family members forgive each other for everything by kissing each other's hands. After the farewell, the oldest (grandparents) break the bread in two, "to see who will have more luck this year and will bring food to the house". Then each child breaks off a piece of the bread, the first bite is not eaten, but wrapped and placed under the pillow. 

It is believed that what a person dreams that night indicates what will happen in the coming year.

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