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| Hello, and welcome to the Culture Class- Holidays in Bulgaria Series at BulgarianPod101.com. In this series, we’re exploring the traditions behind Bulgarian holidays and observances. I’m Eric, and you're listening to Season 1, Lesson 17 - Epiphany. |
| Bulgarians celebrate Epiphany, or Bogoyavlenie, on January 6. This day is connected to Christianity and is a name-day for the people bearing the names Yordan, Yordanka, and similar names. |
| In this lesson we’ll tell you what the holiday of Epiphany is about for Bulgarians, and how they celebrate it. |
| Now, before we get into more detail, I've got a question for you- |
| Epiphany is a holiday with many names. Do you know what they are? |
| If you don't already know, you’ll find out a bit later, so keep listening! |
| Epiphany is a very old holiday. According to the Orthodox Church, on this day Jesus Christ was “baptized,” or e krasten, in the Jordan river. Thus the holiday is also called the Baptism of the Lord. The name Bogoyavlenie is formed from two words- bogo-, meaning “God’s” and yavlenie,—a word meaning “appearance” or “manifestation.” |
| According to Christianity, at the baptism of Jesus Christ the secret of the Holy Trinity “appeared,” or se yavyava—the Son Jesus Christ in human form, the Holy Spirit as a dove alighting upon Jesus and the “Divine Voice,” or Glasat Bozhii, of the Heavenly Father. This is the reason for the name Bogoyavlenie. |
| Jesus Christ was baptized in the river Jordan by John the Baptist, Yoan Krastitel. The next day on the calendar, January 7, is Ivanovden—the name-day for Ivan and Ivanka, and the feast of Sveti Yoan Krastitel, Saint John the Baptist. Epiphany is a name-day for the people with names deriving from the name of the river Jordan, or Yordan, and many others like Bozhidar, Bozhan, Boyan, Bogdana, and Dancho. On Yordanovden people fast, and there must be corn bread or flat corn loaves called tsarevichni pitki on the table. |
| A popular custom on Epiphany is to cast a cross into the ice cold water of the rivers. Usually men jump in to “take it,” or skachat da go ulovyat . The one who finds it is considered to be “blessed with luck,” or blagosloven s kasmet. |
| Now it's time to answer our quiz question- |
| Epiphany is a holiday with many names. Do you know what they are? |
| Besides the Baptism of the Lord, this day is also called Yordanovden, Winter Feast of the Cross, Enlightenment, Waters and even Vodokrashti, because of the association with Jesus’s baptism in the waters of Jordan. |
| How was this lesson? Did you learn something interesting? |
| Do you have a custom where people go into ice cold water? |
| Leave a comment letting us know at BulgarianPod101.com, |
| and we'll see you in the next lesson! |
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