Today we celebrate the Annunciation. The holiday always falls during Lent, but nevertheless it is allowed to eat fish.
It is believed that your year will be the way you feel on this day. For this, you need to be full, satisfied and have money to go well throughout the year.
Here are the names that celebrate a name day today:
Blaga, Blago, Blagovest, Blagovesta, Blagoy, Blagoya, Blazhe, Evangelia, Evangelina, Vanga, Vangela, Vangelia, Vangel, Vangelina.
The Orthodox Christian Church celebrates this day in honor of the good news of the birth of the Savior, which the Archangel Gabriel announced to the Virgin Mary. Bulgarians also call the holiday “Blagovets“ or “half Easter“.
It is told about in the Gospel of Luke. Therefore, the holiday is honored by many mothers, because the Holy Mother of God is their patroness. All Christians - Orthodox, Catholics and Protestants, celebrate one of the greatest holidays - Annunciation, on which one of the greatest mysteries in Christianity is honored.
The holiday of the Annunciation was established by the Orthodox Church in the seventh century and is part of the Easter holiday cycle. Annunciation is always celebrated on March 25.
The holiday is also called Blagovets and is associated with the spring equinox, when the earth begins to warm up. In Bulgaria, the holiday is also associated with the arrival of spring, so on this day it is mandatory to eat “something green“ – nettles, spinach, watercress.
It is also a tradition to have fish on the table, and a fish stew is usually prepared - fish with rice.
A pita bread is baked, which, smeared with honey, is distributed to neighbors and relatives.
According to folk beliefs, on this "good day" all wounds heal more easily and quickly, and that is why it is most common for little girls to have their ears pierced.
During the day, any poison loses its power. Homeowners sweep their houses and yards, light fires, which they jump over so as not to suffer from snake bites in the summer. For the same reason, women do not touch needles, hooks, or threads.
It is believed that if trees are planted on the Annunciation, they will bear very sweet fruits. On this day, people get up early so that the year will be rich.
Folk legend says that cuckoos and swallows fly to Blagovets to bring the good news that winter is gone and summer has come.
Based on the folk etymology of the name of the holiday (Blagovets – good, sweet), it is believed that any wound heals very quickly on this day. That is why it is on Blagovets that girls' ears are pierced for earrings.
Animal breeders brand their herds and make cuts on the ears of animals so that they can recognize them, writes sanovnik.at.