Learn all about Lazarus Saturday
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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 22- Lazarovden. |
| In the Bulgarian calendar of holidays, there is a day that combines Christian tradition with folk ritual practices that is called Lazarus Saturday. It takes place on a Saturday, one week before Easter. |
| In this lesson we’ll tell you more about this holiday and what happens on it every year. |
| Now, before we get into more detail, I've got a question for you- |
| Do you know why Lazarus was resurrected by Jesus Christ? |
| If you don't already know, you’ll find out a bit later, so keep listening! |
| The name of the Lazarus Saturday holiday comes from the name of Saint Lazarus. He was resurrected by Jesus Christ four days after he died. It is believed that because of this, the name Lazar “signifies,” or oznachava, health and long life. The name isn’t so popular among Bulgarians nowadays, but people with that name still have a name-day on Lazarus Saturday. |
| Lazarus Saturday, like Tsvetnitsa, which is celebrated the next day on Sunday, is a movable holiday which is exactly eight days before Easter, the Saturday when the Passion Week starts. According to folk tradition, the holiday is also called Lazaritsa or “Lazar's Saturday.” Maiden’s customs are “carried out,” or se izvarshvat, on this day. The most popular one is lazaruvane. |
| Early in the “morning,” or in Bulgarian rano sutrinta, on Lazarus Saturday, girls “dressed up,” or premeneni, in national costumes and wearing wreaths and flowers in their hair go out in “groups,” or na grupi, and go around the houses. They sing songs and perform a dance called boenek. They must jump high and “clatter,” or in Bulgarian tropat, with their feet so the crops can grow high, and so “domestic,” or domashen in Bulgarian, animals can grow big. In exchange, the girls receive eggs from “hosts,” or domakinite. This way of celebrating has been preserved in the villages, while in the big cities it is just considered part of national folklore and only the spring mood of the holiday has “remained,” or ostava. |
| “In the past,” or in Bulgarian v minaloto, every girl had to participate in the Lazarus Saturday customs. On this day the young men used to ask for the hand of their sweetheart. |
| Now it's time to answer our quiz question- |
| Do you know why Lazarus was resurrected by Jesus Christ? |
| Lazarus showed Jesus Christ great hospitality and that is why he deserved this incredible gift. Lazarus’s resurrection is one of Jesus’s miracles which shows His divine power, but brought anger from His enemies and became a reason for His death sentence. |
| How was this lesson? Did you learn something interesting? |
| Do you celebrate this day? |
| Leave a comment letting us know at BulgarianPod101.com, |
| and we'll see you in the next lesson! |
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