Language/Bulgarian/Vocabulary/Religious-Holidays

Bulgarian Vocabulary → Celebrations and Festivities → Religious Holidays

Religion plays an important role in Bulgarian culture, and so do the religious holidays. In this lesson, we will learn about the main religious holidays celebrated in Bulgaria and the vocabulary associated with them.

Easter - Великден (Velikden)

Easter is the biggest holiday in the Bulgarian Orthodox Church and is celebrated with great excitement and enthusiasm. The holiday usually falls in April, and it lasts for three days.

During the celebrations, Bulgarians decorate eggs in various ways, from colored to intricately patterned designs. The eggs are usually boiled and then painted in bright colors.

Table: Easter-related Vocabulary

Bulgarian	Pronunciation	English
Великден	Velikden	Easter	курабийка	kurabiika	sweet Easter bread	козунак	kozunak	sweet Easter bread	яйце	yaitse	egg	боядисване на яйца	boyadisvane na yaitza	egg dyeing	цветници	tsvetnitsi	Palm Sunday (the Sunday before Easter)	Гергьовден	Gergyovden	St. George's Day (also celebrated during Easter) Can you recognize the word "курабийка" from the lesson on Bulgarian cuisine? The sweet Easter bread shares the same name as the typical Bulgarian bread. Christmas - Коледа (Koleda) Christmas in Bulgaria is celebrated on December 25th. In Bulgarian tradition, the night before Christmas is called Budni Vecher (Бъдни вечер) and is a time for family to gather, share a special meal and tell stories. Table: Christmas-related Vocabulary Bulgarian Pronunciation English Коледа Koleda Christmas Свети Вечер Sveti Vecher Christmas Eve Божик Bozhik Christmas Day Коледница / Коледар Kolednitsa / Koledar carol singers даръци daratsi gifts Christmas in Bulgaria is not as commercialized as in other countries, and Bulgarians tend to focus more on the spiritual aspect of the holiday. Epiphany - Богоявление (Bogoyavlenie) On January 6th, Bulgarians celebrate the Epiphany, or Yordanovden (Йордановден), which commemorates the baptism of Jesus Christ in the River Jordan. Table: Epiphany-related Vocabulary Bulgarian Pronunciation English Богоявление Bogoyavlenie Epiphany Йордановден Yordanovden the day of the baptism of Jesus Christ кръщелник krashtelnik baptismal font празнично наливане вода praznichno nalivane voda ceremonial water pouring свещи sveshti candles Bulgarian Christians believe that by jumping into the icy water on this day, they rid themselves of illness and bad luck. Assumption of Mary - Успение на Пресвета Богородица (Uspenie na Presveta Bogoroditsa) This holiday is celebrated on August 15th and is dedicated to the belief that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was taken directly into heaven after her death. Table: Assumption of Mary-related Vocabulary Bulgarian Pronunciation English Успение на Пресвета Богородица Uspenie na Presveta Bogoroditsa Assumption of Mary Голяма Богородица Golyama Bogoroditsa The Great Feast of the Holy Mother of God празник praznik holiday икона ikona icon The celebration is also accompanied by the tradition of preparing and sharing a special dish called "питка" (pitka), a type of bread with hidden charms or coins inside. Sources Bulgarian Orthodox Church Bulgarian customs Table of Contents - Bulgarian Course - 0 to A1 Course Presentation Alphabet and sounds Cyrillic alphabet Vowels Consonants Greetings and Introductions Greetings Introducing yourself Numbers 0-100 Bulgarian Traditions Bulgarian Folklore Cuisine Holidays and Customs Nouns and Adjectives Gender Cases Adjectives At the Restaurant Ordering Food Making Special Requests Paying the Bill Bulgarian Cinema and Literature Bulgarian Cinema Bulgarian Literature Literary Translation Verbs and Tenses Present Tense Perfective and Imperfective Verbs Past Tense Traveling Transportation Booking a Hotel Asking for Directions Bulgarian Music Bulgarian Pop Music Traditional Bulgarian Music Music Festivals Future Tense and Modals Future Tense Modal Verbs Conditional Sentences Celebrations and Festivities Birthday Parties Weddings and Marriage Customs Religious Holidays Bulgarian Theatre and Performance Arts Bulgarian Theatre Puppet Theatre Dance