On Petkovden – October 14, the church honors St. Paraskeva or also called St. Petka. However, this day is also called Winter Petkovden and in Bulgarian beliefs it marks the transition to winter.
The traditions and celebrations of Bulgarians on this day have pre-Christian traces of argrarian cults. Their roots are from the era when agriculture gave a new perspective on human life, and the main place was occupied by the fertility of the earth, personified by a woman who gives life.
Saint Petka is considered the protector of home and family. From Petkovden, engagements and weddings begin, as in popular understanding the saint is the patron of birth and fertility, both for humans and animals.
Petkovden marks the end of agricultural work – the last autumn sowing, harvesting. By then, all agricultural work must have been finished, and the people say “May the plow be under your roof on Petkovden”.
If the sun shines on Petkovden, the leaves of the thicket have not fallen, and the sheep gather in one place – the winter will be hard and snowy
The shepherds also celebrate the day – on Petkovden they let the rams go to the sheep, after which the shepherd is brought a gift of pie.
After that, until Dimitrovden (October 26), while the fertilization of domestic livestock lasts, women should not work with wool, and the scissors are tied with the red thread – “so that the mouth of the wolf does not open”, also knit, so as not the worms of the lambs are entangled.
Women who disobey the command are believed to be visited by Saint Petka – in the form of a snake or a withered woman who wants to kill them.
It is believed that if a person wears a garment sewn on the days between Petkovden and Dimitrovden, he will go mad or fall ill, and after his death he will turn into a vampire. After insemination, traditionally, women bake fresh loaves and distribute them so that healthy cattle are born.
The day is considered a turning point, and in this sense, on Petkovden in some regions, the custom of “use” is observed. According to him, the first person to step into the house determines luck and health throughout the year.
The days from Petkovden to Dimitrovden have a mythical meaning meaning the Dirty Pagan Days.
These twelve days also called “wolf or vampire bad” represent a sacred boundary between the old and the new year. These days, strange and otherworldly creatures roam the human lands and the world is more chaotic and dangerous.
In some places, on the Saturday before Petkovden, Petkovden stew is held, to honor the dead, horseshoes sprinkled with boiled wheat, sweetened rice, watermelon and grapes are distributed.
On Petkovden, traditional sacrifices are made and ritual breads are kneaded, and the largest ones, called “Saint Petka”, are placed on the table on a man’s shirt, a pan of salt and a glass of wine.
The house is sprinkled with holy water, the ritual bread is broken and the whole family bows to him three times. Then the oldest woman lifts the bread high and blesses everyone with it and distributes pieces.
On our Petkovden table it is nice to present: mutton casserole, Kurban soup, sarmicki with vine leaves, tripe, dishes with leeks, ritual breads.
Name day is celebrated by: Paraskeva, Petko, Pencho, Petkan, Peño, Penko, Parush, Petrichka, Petrana, Keva
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