Easter is one of the most revered and celebrated Christian holidays in the world. Traditionally, the Easter table is colorful and the main part of it are the Easter cookies, Easter bread and of course the painted Easter eggs. A stuffed lamb is traditionally served in Razlog. Learn more about the holiday and the traditional recipe.
Along with Christmas, the feast of Christ’s Resurrection is probably the biggest holiday in the Bulgarian folklore calendar. It marks the end of Lent, the longest and heaviest of the year, and it is time for abundant meals, visits to relatives and friends, festive dances and merriment. Traditionally, Easter eggs are painted on certain days of Holy Week – Holy Thursday or Holy Saturday. This is done before sunrise so that the sun can “see” the red eggs as soon as it rises. In the past they used dyes of natural origin: red was achieved with oregano, green – with nettle, orange – with sumac, and yellow with walnut leaves, onion flakes and apple peel. The first egg must be painted red and placed separately, because it has a ritual role. With it the cheeks of children, girls and young brides should be rubbed with the blessing of being white and red like this egg. It is believed that this way they will be healthy, beautiful and happy.
Then the first red egg is taken to the home icon and placed in place of last year’s. The old egg foretells good luck during the year – if it is preserved completely, the year will be full and fertile; if it is dry or spoiled, it is considered a bad omen. On Easter itself, red eggs are also laid in the church, leaving them in front of the icons. The fasting ends and people are allowed to eat food of animal origin. Knocking or wrestling with eggs is a well-known custom everywhere. Whose egg turns out to be the strongest and is declared a “fighter” or “fighter”, it is believed that its owner will be the healthiest and luckiest during the year.
Along with painted eggs, the second main symbol of the holiday is bread. In the past, Easter ritual breads were an important part of the holiday. They are usually made in a round shape, decorated with braids and are designed for the festive family table, for the godfather and loved ones. In different parts of Bulgaria the breads have different names. They are usually decorated with an odd number of red or white eggs and dough twisted around them. In the twentieth century, the European Easter cake gradually entered, and established itself as a traditional holiday pastry.
In the past, Easter swings were an important element of the holiday. Each young man had to swing his chosen one and show her his feelings, and during this time the other girls sang songs or choruses about the two lovers (choruses are short songs in which the names of the boy and the girl are intertwined). Another festive moment was the Easter dance, which gathered young and old on the village square, for which everyone, even the poorest, wore brand new clothes.
The Easter service begins on Saturday night, before midnight, and after receiving the fire of grace from the priest, he announces the Resurrection with the words “Christ is risen!” And Christians respond, “He is risen indeed!”
The Easter holidays in Razlog last for four days. The most vivid tradition is in the village of Banya, where on the first day of Easter, along with the other rituals, swings are tied in the Varvara area, where girls and boys swing. This area is located next to the river Mesta, two and a half hours walk from the town of Razlog. People from all Razlog villages gather there.
The second day of Easter is celebrated in the Arangela area, where the whole village goes out with carts decorated with colorful rugs. After the liturgy, tables are stretched, horse competitions are organized and people dance. In the evening the celebration ends on the square in front of the church also with people. In the past, on the third day Easter dance “Zdravche-Venche” was played – a men’s dance, which is no longer played today.
On the third day of Easter, the whole village gathers on a certain meadow called “blato”. The girls are in their best clothes and jewelry. A long dance is formed, which is played very slowly and in which two groups of girls slowly sing the song “Prochula se Yanitsa”. Boys step slowly three times forward and once backward. The old men are sitting on the lawn watching. The children are beating eggs, and everyone wants his egg to come out the strongest – to be a “kutsach”, that’s the name in Razlog.
The fourth day after Easter is celebrated as the second, with the difference that the fair in the Varvara area is attended not only by bachelors and maidens, but also brides, men, children, old and young. Bagpipes, drums sound, it’s a real joy. The same dance is played as on the third day, and the girls sing in two groups the song “Miltano, mlada nevesto”.
In fact, in the 19th century, people went to the Varvara area on December 4 – the day of the saint, lit candles and washed in the healing hot spring. After 1850, due to bad weather in December, the practice of visiting the place on Easter was introduced. According to information from the end of the 19th century, not only people from Banyan, but also people from the whole region go these days and the gathering looks like a fair.