From "Once upon a time - manners and worldview of the Bulgarians"
An old folk tale tells about two twin brothers - Dimitar and Georgi. St. Dimitar was the first born, rides a black horse and is the lord of winter. With Dimitroden came snow and winter. This is the last period when the farmers pay their shepherds and rathais, put the plow away dry, arrange the wood for the winter under the eaves and the end of the farming year comes. As on Simeonovden and Ignazhden, on this day too attention is paid to who will visit the home first. I hope that Chiliak is healthy, happy and wealthy - that the year will be healthy and rich. If the moon is full against the feast, the bees will be very swarming, and there will be much honey and many lambs in the folds. The Imanyars believe that on the night of Dimitrov's Day the sky "opens" and the buried gems flash with a bluish flame.
Dimitrovden is the time of village gatherings and sacrifices, the harvest work is over and people indulge in well-deserved merriment. During the period from Petkovden and Dimitrovden, engagements and weddings begin. The girls bend down people "for the look", so that the boys and their parents can look at them and arrest them. People called this day "Mitrovden" or "Dissolution". On a name day, you go uninvited, and white flowers wrapped with red thread are brought to the namesake - may the winter be mild and the namesake healthy. On the table there is a kurban or mutton casserole and chicken stew. If it's a woman celebrating, it's a hen, if it's a man, it's a rooster. Vegetables, boiled corn, baked apples, pumpkin are also served.
The Orthodox Church celebrates the memory of St. Great Martyr Dimitar of Thessaloniki. Born in Thessaloniki in the 3rd century, Dimitar came from a wealthy and educated family. His father was mayor, and after his death, by order of Emperor Maximian, Hercules took his father's place. The people of Thessaloniki honored and rejoiced in Dimitar. After becoming the governor of the city, he openly began to profess Christianity. This did not please the next emperor Galerius, and he threw Demetrius into prison. Later, on October 26, he ordered to be killed with a spear together with his companion Nestor, whose memory the church honors on the following day - October 27.
© 2023 Iliana Dechkova