The Bulgarian Christmas is called Koleda and is celebrated on December 25th. But it is not Catholic

There are always people who ask: why do Bulgarians celebrate Catholic Christmas, if they are Orthodox Christians?

First we turn to Wikipedia, where they could go without me)

There is a Julian calendar and there is a Gregorian, so different churches celebrate this day on different dates.

Dates of celebration in various churches

The Roman Catholic Church and most Protestant churches are celebrated on December 25th according to the modern Gregorian calendar.

The Russian, Jerusalem, Serbian, Georgian Orthodox churches and Athos, as well as the Eastern Catholic churches, are celebrated on December 25th according to the Julian calendar (the so-called “old style”), which corresponds to the January 7th modern Gregorian calendar.

The Constantinople (except Athos), Antiochian, Alexandria, Cyprus, Bulgarian, Romanian, Hellas and some other Orthodox churches are celebrated on December 25 according to the new Julian calendar, which until March 1, 2800 will coincide with the Gregorian calendar, that is, simultaneously with other Christian denominations marking Christmas on the "new style".

Ancient Eastern churches celebrate Christmas on January 6 on the same day as the Baptism of the Lord under the common name of the Theophany.

The Bulgarian Orthodox Church always celebrated Christmas on December 25, and only in the period from 1916 to 1968, the BOC did this on January 7, in a new style (the Gregorian calendar). In essence, they consider these days to be on the same day, so after the year 68, they began to celebrate Christmas again on December 25 (according to the Julian calendar).

The official holiday with four days off, Christmas in Bulgaria was after March 28, 1990.

Coleda and Evening evening

Bulgarians believe that the word "koloda" comes from the Latin calendae - the first day of the month.

Bulgarian Christmas is called Koleda. There are also names that are probably used in villages, because I myself have never heard them: Bozhik or Bozhich. Koledu celebrate December 25th. On the eve of Christmas - December 24, there is Christmas Eve, which the Bulgarians call the Bdni evening (Weekday evening), or according to Mali Bozic and Suha Koleda.

On Christmas Eve, everyone will have dinner with Lenten dishes, because this is the last day of Advent. By tradition, there should be an odd number (7.9 or 11). Be sure to make boiled wheat porridge (cooked zhito), rice stuffed cabbage rolls (sarmi) from grape leaves, compote from dried fruits (oshav), pickled vegetables (turshiya), beans, nuts, honey and ritual bread, in which small objects or pieces of paper are hidden for good luck . Here they are called "tags". Depending on the region, the set of dishes is different - in some places they make a tikvenik (banitsa with pumpkin) or greenberries (banitsa with spinach).

On the four corners of the table put on a walnut. Red wine is drunk in the evening and after dinner the table is not removed - it is left for the night - all of a sudden, guests will drop in, and some say it is so that the dead relatives can also come and have dinner.

December 25, in the very Koledu also eat and drink, but not lean. And also give each other gifts. Bulgarians give it at Christmas.

Christmas is a family holiday for them - it is customary to celebrate it in the circle of very close, dear people. Therefore, many Sofians in Koleda are leaving for the surrounding villages, to their grandparents. But the New Year is a celebration of fun: it is celebrated by a noisy company with friends and colleagues, in hotels and restaurants, and at home, of course.

Folk omens

In pagan traditions, this day is associated with fertility, an increase in the day and a decrease in the night. Therefore, in the Evening evening, dishes are put on the table, which, when cooked, increase in size and swell. This evening they perform magical acts, that is, they wonder about the future harvest and the health of family members.

It is believed that what the weather in Bdni evening (Christmas Eve), this will be in June. Not in the sense of frost and snow, but in the sense of good or bad)

A boy or girl may find out the name of his betrothed / betrothed: this is the name of the person met during the holiday.

Previously, during the weekly dinner, a special log should have burned in the stoves, now those who have fireplaces can also burn it, which is called a barn. It should be made of pear or oak. And by the way it burns, they also wondered. Ashes from * bdnik * not thrown away. If there is a lot of ashes, then the year will be rich and full.

And much more and even similar to ours. By the way, in the villages go koldari, but I never saw them here. Maybe because we live in the center of Sofia.

Congratulations on Christmas is: Honor Christmas !.

About us

Are we celebrating Christmas on December 25th? Yes. And we celebrate on January 7th. We would just like a holiday - we are always happy) Of course, we do not fast and do not observe the traditions of a weekday evening (like many Bulgarians) and do not give gifts to Koleda. But be sure to make a festive dinner with something tasty and unusual. And we give gifts to each other for the New Year.

Happy holiday to you!

Thank you for your time and attention.

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