On Blagovets, as the day is called in Bulgarian folklore, tradition dictates that a number of prohibitions be observed, the most important of which is that on this day one should not be angry, thoughtful or anxious, and arguments are completely unacceptable. Old people say that the way you feel on this day will predetermine the way you feel the entire year. 

Although the holiday coincides with the Easter Lent, it is very important that a person is full and satisfied on March 25. In addition to lean foods, fish dishes are allowed on the table. 

Another important thing is not to be left without money on the Annunciation. If you hear a cuckoo clucking in the forest, you should immediately grab an iron coin to have prosperity throughout the year. 

"In the folk beliefs of Bulgarians related to the Annunciation, the swallow brings the good news that spring is coming. Then snakes and lizards come out of their winter hiding places, and therefore in folk tradition the holiday is associated with actions to protect against reptiles as potential pests," ethnographer Maria Boyanova adds to the story about the feast of the Annunciation. On behalf of the Ethnographic and National Museums of Natural History, she invites more people to visit their chamber exhibitions, united under the title "Faith and Knowledge - Nature in the Holiday." ‎‎

‎"We are very excited about the holiday and this nice cooperation between the two museums," Maria Boyanova from the National Ethnographic Museum in Sofia tells Radio Bulgaria:

‎"Our showcase is in the central lobby, presenting the most important ritual actions related to the holiday. The snake is presented as a benevolent, but also as a dangerous character in the minds of Bulgarians. The cuckoo is also present here, which is believed to call for the first time on March 25. Some important beliefs and prohibitions are also represented. We are also showing objects from the museum's collection, which represent the snake and the cuckoo. And the beliefs of the Annunciation are mainly associated with the word "good". 

It was believed that fruit trees should be planted on this day so that they bear good fruit. It was believed that if the beehives were opened on this day, the bees would be good and would not sting. Bulgarians also believed that from that day the water in the rivers had warmed up, it was good for bathing – the bear bathed in it for the first time and from today until Seknovenie (in August) people can bathe in the rivers." 

It is good to return to the past, where our ancestors had a continuous connection with nature, which gave them a lot of wisdom. "They knew many things, they were extremely observant and in our part of the exhibition we show the animals because of which the beliefs accompanying the holiday were formed," says Assoc. Prof. Nikolay Simov from the National Museum of Natural History in Sofia.‎

"Visitors will learn more about the cuckoo, they will see its eggs, and it is surprising how small they are for such a large bird. They will also see snakes - vipers and adders. These are the only and common snakes in Bulgaria that can pose a risk to people. There are no deadly poisonous snakes in Bulgaria. Serious cases of bites are complicated because people do not know what to do after a bite, and not because of the reptile's poison. 

• The serpent in traditional culture: a lethal enemy, a magical helper

We are also trying to show the knowledge of our ancestors, who believed that snakes, such as the Aesculapian snake, were useful and were even considered the protector of the home. Therefore, they were allowed to live peacefully in different corners, even under the threshold of the house, but they were never killed. This belief is also evident in folk tales, where the snake is a hero who helps people, and the lizard is a king who helps in finding the buried treasure. In our exhibition, we also present other animals that are now starting to wake up due to the warming of the weather." 

Spring is extremely beneficial for observing amphibians and reptiles, as they need to stay outdoors when waking up from hibernation to absorb enough sunlight and warmth, says Assoc. Prof. Nikolay Simov also advises people to leave the cities and walk in the mountains, fields, and dirt roads: 

"The Iskar Gorge is a wonderful place for walks, the southern parts of Vitosha, even some parts of Southern Bulgaria - people just need to go outdoors and then they will see the awakened insects, the pollinators, who are looking for the first flowers, some types of butterflies also appear early in the spring and then disappear. Not to mention the lizards that wake up and look for food, the mating dances begin... so nice days with prolonged warm weather have always been a dream."

Read also:

• On Blagovets - when the cuckoo calls clap your hands
• The Day of the Annunciation in Bulgarian folklore
  

Photos: archive, nembg.com, Ethnographic Museum, bspb.org (Mladen Vasilev), Miglena Ivanova

English publication: Rositsa Petkova