On the Saturday after Sirni zagovezni, Todorovden is celebrated. This year the so-called a movable Christian holiday is celebrated on March 23. The veneration of St. Todor is attested as far back as the early centuries of the church.
According to folk legends, on the holiday Saint Todor takes off his nine coats, rides a white horse and goes to God to beg for summer.
Todorovden is celebrated mainly for the health of horses, therefore it is also called Horse Easter. There will be kushias in a number of places in the country.
Tradition dictates that at sunrise the men braid the horses’ tails and manes, decorate them with beads, tassels and flowers and take them to a watering hole. The women knead ritual breads, giving them to the horses as well. They also boil wheat, which is blessed in the church temple.
Then comes the turn of the horse race. The winner is rewarded, with the horse usually receiving a bridle and its owner a shirt or towel. The winner of the race goes around all the homes with his horse to celebrate the holiday. Everywhere they welcome him warmly and water his horse.
In some parts of Bulgaria, rites related to young brides who are in their first year of marriage are also performed on this holiday.
In other areas, a ritual practice for health and fertility is also performed. On the morning of the celebration, the young bride prepares small loaves of bread. Festively dressed, she goes around the homes of relatives and friends, distributes from them, and the housewives wish her children. Finally, he goes to his parents, where both the son-in-law and the mother-in-law share a common table.
The custom of Bekane is known in the Rhodope region. After the church service, the hostess gives each of the family to eat a few grains of peas soaked in warm water the previous day. From it he throws a handful to the ceiling for everyone and the cattle. The maidens string rosary beads from peas or chickpeas soaked in water, decorate them with silk threads and give them to their chosen ones, and they return gifts to them.
On this day, Todor, Teodor, Teodora, Bozhidar, Bogdana, Nayden celebrate their name day.
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