Traditions & NameDays

As early as 7000 years B.C., 3000 years before the Egyptians, traders from this land, now known as Bulgaria, had crossed up and down the Mediterranean. This long and winding history gave a source of not only great national pride but also an inspiration for a new national spirit. Much has perished through all these millennia, but even more has remained - a rich spiritual world which will shower you with the colours, rhythms and melodious songs of living Bulgarian folklore, the unfading beauty of Bulgarian arts and crafts, the gaiety and vivacity of Bulgarian festivals and customs, the piquant taste of Bulgarian cuisine and the delicate fragrance of Bulgarian wines.

Plovdiv region and the city, villages and towns therein, with its remnants of the Byzantine, Roman and Ottoman civilizations, count among their wealth an unusually diverse culture, parts of which have remained unchanged for centuries. In this section of Plovdiv Guide, we offer you a trip through the land which has been so richly endowed by God with elegant beauty and invite you to discover its traditions, customs and rituals.
SAMUEL, Prophet  - August 20
The day of Prophet Samuel - Name day of everyone named Samuil. Samuel was born to Hannah after a lifetime of barrenness and tears in prayer. He was dedicated to the Lord and trained by the ch...
St. Adrian and St. Natalia, Martyrs   - August 26
Name day of Adrian, Adriana (after the name of the Roman Commander) and Natalia (meaning "natal, native"). The Martyrs Adrian and Natalia were married in their youth for one year prior t...
SEKNOVENIE / EQUINOX (also known as Black Saint John) - 29 August
People honor this day as the Equinox (meaning even day, i.e. the length of the day equals the length of the night). Water also gets colder and people should not bathe in waters in the open. That day, ...
St. Alexander feastday. Name day of everyone named Aleko, Alexander, Alexandra....
ST. GENNADIOS, Patriarch of Constantinople - August 31
St. Gennadios, Patriarch of Constantinople, feastday. Name day of Geno, Gena, Gennadi. Saint Gennadios, Patriarch of Constantinople, ascended the throne of the Church of Constantinople in the year...
SIMEONOVDEN (St. Simeon the Stylite) - September 1
Name day of everyone named Simeon, Simona or Marta (although Marta would rather celebrate on March 1).This is the beginning of the so called “agricultural New Year”. That day the autumn sowin...
BIRTH OF THE HOLY MOTHER (also known as “Nativity of the Theotokos”) - September 8
According to the traditional celebration of the birth of the Holy Mother, on the eve of the holiday the ones that are sick and ailing should make a votive oath. It should be done in the following way:...
KRUSTOVDEN (The Holy Cross Day)  -  September 14
Name day of everyone named Krustina, Krustyo, Krustan, Kancho, Stavri.According to the popular calendar from the Holy Cross Day on Bulgarians get ready for vintage time. They hoop the casks, the c...
Name day of everyone named Lyudmil or Lyudmila....
VYARA, NADEZHDA and LYUBOV (Faith, Hope and Love) and their mother SOPHIA, Holy Martyrs - September 17
Name day of everyone named Vyara, Vera, Veronika, Nadezhda, Nadya, Lyuben, Lyubomir, Lyuba, Sophia, Sofka, Sevda.Orthodox Church tells the horrible story of a second-century Roman mother who sacri...