Comenius Bilateral Project 2012-2014
Secondary school “Nicola Vaptsarov” Aytos, Bulgaria
Survakari – 1st January Martenitsi – 1st March Bulgarian National day - 3rd March Mummers (Kukeri) Tsvetnitsa, Lazarovden Easter Day of Bulgarian army – 6th May Day of Bulgarian alphabet - 24th May Day of Bulgarian independence – 22nd September Day of National Leaders – 1st of November Koledari - 25th December
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 Typical tradition for the first day of the new year is the suruvakane.
 Survakari are kids with survachki (cornel-tree branches decorated with chestnuts, red yarn, popcorn).  They go to their relatives and neighbours and wish them health, luck and happiness.
On the 1st of March Bulgarian people celebrate a traditional holiday called Baba Marta (or Grandma Marta in English) and it is related to welcoming the approaching spring. Bulgarians exchange “Martenitsi”. This custom is essentially to wish great health, good luck, and happiness to family and friends.
We should wear it either pinned on your clothes, on the hand tied around the wrist, or around your neck until you see a stork, or a fruit tree in blossom for the first time in the season.
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On March 3, 1878 in the village of San Stefano, today Yeshilkyoy, a suburb of Istanbul, signed a peace treaty between Russia and the Ottoman Empire. It ended the Russo-Turkish War (1877 - 1878). Bulgaria is already a free country.
Mummers Kukeri Kukeri is a traditional Bulgarian ritual to scare away evil spirits  The costumes cover most of the body and include decorated wooden masks of animals (sometimes double-faced) and large bells attached to the belt.
 Around New Year and before Lent, the kukeri walk and dance through the village to scare evil spirits away as well as to provide a good harvest, health, and happiness to the village during the year.
On this day the Christian church celebrates the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem in the days before Passover. On this day people celebrate their name day with names of flowers.
Lazarovden is a Christian holiday that bears the name of St. Lazarus. It is celebrated on the eighth day before Easter.
On this day the girls go round the houses and singing for health, happiness and prosperity.They are dressed in Bulgarian national costumes Master of the house gave them eggs, money, fruit and small gifts. The holiday brings spring mood.
Easter is one of the most significant holidays in the Bulgarian calendar. It is popularly known as “Velikden”.
The prominent symbols of Easter in Bulgaria are bright red colored eggs and Easter breads known as “kolache” or “kozunak”.
In Bulgaria traditionally painted eggs on Maundy Thursday or Holy Saturday, and their number depends on the family members. The first always turns red by the oldest woman. While it is still warm and freshly painted, she painted the sign on the foreheads of children to be healthy. On Sunday morning eggs are distributed to the children.
The patron saint of the Bulgarian Army is St. George.
The Army Day or St. George’s Day (6 May) is an official holiday in Bulgaria.
Day Of Slavonic Alphabet, Bulgarian Enlightenment and Culture
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Brothers Cyril and Methodius are founders of the Bulgarian Alphabet.
an unique phenomenon
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Fire dancing is an ancient custom in which people fall into a trance and dance barefoot on coals.
The square is a fire that is maintained all day from the oldest nestinar. Coals are formed in the shape of a star.
 Independence of Bulgaria was proclaimed on 22 September 1908 in the old Bulgarian capital Tarnovo by Prince Ferdinand of Bulgaria.
 It is day of the leaders of the Bulgarian National Revival.  The day is devoted to the bookmen, the fighters for national liberation who have preserved through the centuries the spiritual values of the nation and its moral.
a traditional Bulgarian customs
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Koledari wear special folk costumes and sing songs in the houses.
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After the songs, the leader of the group bless all members of the family.