On August 1, Zdravko, Zdravka, Makavey celebrate their name day.
According to the Bulgarian Treasury; folk calendar, folklore, legends and traditions, holidays and traditions, in the past the feast of the Maccabees was celebrated for 12 days. Symbolically, each day corresponded to the months of the following year, which, according to the church calendar, begins in the month of September. According to tradition, the farmers of the village tried to guess what the weather would be like throughout the next year, writes petel.bg.
For example; if in the first Maccabee (month of September) the weather is rainy, that month next year will be rainy. If the second Maccabee is warm, October will be warm, etc...
According to the sources, traditionally the first Maccabee was buried and worshiped mainly by women, so that there would be no diseases and wounds. In the Yambol region, according to belief,” of Pantelei - Maccave until noon, no work is done to keep the children healthy, because the two days are fatal, they are considered "hard". In the Macedonian region during the time of the Maccabees or “Churucites”, women did not wash clothes or bathe their children, because everything” chirtisvalo” (rotten). In the Etropolis area of the first Maccabee, all the sons-in-law gather as guests at their father-in-law's, who welcome them with a rich meal and feast. After lunch, the eldest son-in-law takes a tolum and starts running around the threshing floor chasing and hitting his bajjanaks with it. This interesting and amusing custom is accompanied with great fanfare and much merriment. It is reported in sources that this rite is done for the health of livestock; cows, sheep, horses-mares, that they may be fruitful.
In the Rhodope region, the first Maccabee is called “us” or “Ustina”. It is distinguished by the prohibition of all kinds of female domestic work. It is forbidden for women not to spin, not to sew, not to sew, so that wolves and bears do not attack the herds of the shepherds. In the Strandzha region, this holiday is called “Protoyagus” and it is accepted that it is the hottest day.
It is believed that on this day the bodies of the dead rot in the grave, as the earth “boils with heat”. In addition, so that the souls of the dead do not suffer early in the morning, women go to cemeteries and water the graves of their loved ones with a lot of water. On this day, the migratory birds – swallows and storks fly south.