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Festivals & Religion

Bulgaria preserved its Orthodox Christianity through five centuries of Muslim domination and fifty years of Communist atheism. Nowadays Bulgarians celebrate both Christian celebrations and traditional festivals, many of which have their roots in pagan beliefs. In some regions the predominant religion is Islam and in others the two religions coexist peacefully side-by-side.

The Orthodox churches, with their dark, incense-filled interiors, spectacular icons and heavy wood-and-gold icons engender a sense of mystery and awe. Easter is the largest church celebration in Bulgaria, when a sea of people with swaying candles gather around the churches at midnight to hear mass.

The traditional holidays, rooted deep in folklore, are more prevalent in rural Bulgaria than in the cities and tend to relate to the harvest and health. At the start of Lent, the 'Koukeri', men disguised in animal skins and furs, wearing grotesque painted masks, do the rounds of the villages banging loud bells to ward off evil spirits and ensure a good crop; whilst in the south east of Bulgaria 'Nestinari' still dance on burning embers to mark the beginning of summer on the feast of Saints Constantine and Elena. Even sophisticated city folk will get up at a wedding to join in the 'Horo' - a dance in a circle to folk music.