Orthodox Easter Day in Bulgaria – 5 May

Many Orthodox churches base their Easter date on the Julian calendar, which often differs from the Gregorian calendar that is used by many western countries. Therefore the Orthodox Easter period often occurs later than the Easter period that falls around the time of the March equinox. Bulgaria is a largely Orthodox Christian country along with the rest of the Balkans (except for Croatia).

Holy or Maundy Thursday

Easter eggs are dyed on Maundy (Holy) Thursday or Holy Saturday. The first red egg dyed on Holy Thursday is a symbol of health and good furtune for the family and is set aside to be kept until next Easter.

Good Friday

Good Friday is the anniversary of the Crucifixion, and the day when a table is set up in churches representing Christ's coffin. The faithful climb underneath in the hopes of having a year full of health and fertility.

Holy Saturday

Holy Saturday services begin at 11 p.m. Families and friends attend church together, carrying their colored eggs with them. When the clock strikes midnight, they greet each other with the words Hristos vozkrese (Christ has risen). The response is Voistina vozkrese (He has risen indeed). The priest and faithful then walk around the church three times with lit candles in hand. The belief is if one has been a good Christian, his candle will not go out no matter how strong the wind might be, because he has no sins. After services are over, the all-important "egg fight" takes place. Opponents smash their eggs into each other with the egg left unbroken proclaimed the winner or borak. The winning egg is kept until next Easter and is a sign of good luck.

Easter Delicacies

In Bulgarian Orthodox Church tradition, the Lenten fast begins on Zagovezni, the Sunday six weeks before Easter. For the 46 days of Lent, church members abstain from all animal and fish products and byproducts, that means butter, cheese, milk, and caviar, if you can afford it!

While not a morsel is eaten before Easter Sunday, yeast-raised cakes and buns in animal shapes, and cookie rabbits and flowers are baked during Holy Week. The most important ritual bread is the braided kozunak.
On Easter Sunday, after 46 days of fast and abstinence, a feast of all the prohibited food is laid on the table, with the kozunak, symbolizing the body of Christ, taking center stage. Lamb, representing the Paschal Lamb, is always served.

No Easter is complete without the delicious Easter feast. There is a long list of recipes which are cooked on this particular day. Some of the famous Bulgarian recipes are banista(which is a Bulgarian pastry), Palachinki (Bulgarian pancake), Baklava and Wine Kebap. These dishes are traditionally served on Easter Sunday when the festive season begins. The feast is generally had in big groups by inviting friends and family over. This is continued all through the week.