March 25th is a religious holiday, known in Bulgaria as Blagovets or Bagoveshtenie. This holiday commemorates the announcement made by the angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary that she would give birth to the Savior. Despite occurring during Lent, a feast is usually prepared to celebrate the Annunciation, with the traditional food for the holiday being fish. Many families prepare a dish called Ribnik, which consists of fish and rice stuffing. It is also common to serve pita bread with honey, which is given out to friends, family and neighbors. This holiday, along with all other religious festivities, was banned during the communist era. However, since the fall of the communist regime, these practices have been renewed.
Blagovets also celebrates the coming of spring and the return of the cuckoo bird. There are many beliefs tied to Blagovets and the cuckoo bird, most of them with pagan origins. For instance, it was thought that the song of the cuckoo announced the emergence of evil spirits. This belief was based partially in facts, as the end of spring meant that snakes and bears would be coming out of hibernation. A popular family tradition was to go about the house and yard making noise with pots and pans, in order to scare away snakes. This was done mostly by women and children. Another tradition was to jump over a fire, as it was believed that this would bring good health.
Legends say that on Blagovets, buried treasures emerge to the surface and have the appearance of blue flames. So, if you are travelling in Bulgaria on Blagovets, make sure to keep your eyes open!
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