An old legend has it that all winds are born on Christmas Еve and baptized before Epiphany. In Bulgarian folklore, winds are classified first according to the four cardinal directions. The wind coming from the north is called Northerner, or..
Tradition says that Easter eggs must be painted on Maundy Thursday by the oldest woman in the family. Wealthier households would dye 500-600 eggs – for all members of the family, for relatives and guests, for paupers and for travelers. Dyes..
A popular day in this country, Palm Sunday always falls on the Sunday after St. Lazarus Day and after Easter. All people named after flowers celebrate it as their name day – from the traditional Tsvetan, Tsvetanka, Nevena, Temenuzhka,..
It is Lazarus Saturday (Lazarovden) again - the day on which Christ performed one of His miracles, resurrecting the righteous Lazarus. This is also the feast which is the harbinger of Christ's resurrection, which Orthodox Chiristians celebrate..
Plamena Teneva-Mann has been living in France for 20 years now. She left Bulgaria immediately after graduating from the Technical University in Sofia. Her education in the field of telecommunications opened the doors for her to work in large..
In traditional Bulgarian culture fire plays an important role – not only in patriarchal life but also as part of many rituals and feasts. According to popular belief fire had the magical power to purify and to protect, to keep..
A sunny town in the heart of France, cathedrals with spires and small one-family homes with beautifully arranged gardens, that is what Clermont- Ferrand is like, a town which stole the heart of a Bulgarian lady, a town where she has been living..
The Rhodope Mountain is an endless fountain of natural beauty. Anyone willing to get a first-hand experience of Bulgarian lifestyle and traditions in these parts of the country can immerse themselves in the spirit of bygone times by paying a visit to one..
We are sending off a difficult year, full of unexpected events and changes. In isolation or simply observing social distancing, whether or not theyagree with the measures against the as yet new virus, people are thinking about the future,..
This year, the Christmas and New Year holidays will be much more different. One of the mandatory elements of this period of the year – the Christmas parties, are now absent from our to do list. Moreover, we have less opportunities to get into the..