St Atanas’s Day – 18 January
February 2nd, 2008
Name day for: Atanas, Atanaska (like our Atanas, night guard at Buy & Sell Bulgaria’s office, who also has a birthday). Happy Name day Nasko and Many Happy Returns!
On January 18 the Orthodox Church honors St. Atanasii The Great, who lived from 293/ 298 until 373. Atanas’s Day is a holiday connected with the New Year’s rites. According to the Christian beliefs St. Atanas is the ruler of snow and ice. Dressed in a silk shirt he ascends the mountain riding his white horse and exclaims: “Go away, winter, come again, summer!” That’s why this holiday is also known as the Mid-winter. Atanas’s Day is a holiday of the blacksmiths, ironmongers, cutters and shoeing smiths as well as a holiday of the illnesses. This day is observed to show respect to the pest and other contagious diseases, which are called with the taboo name “sweet and honey ones”. The winter Day of St. Athanasius is also known as Midwinter or the Pest’s Day. The second name is connected with the belief that the pest was born at that time. After the Day of St. Athanasius healers went to the villages to exterminate people. Therefore early in the morning each woman would bake a small flat loaf of bread and three small ring-shaped buns. The flat bread is decorated with two dogs, who are keeping the people from the pest.
On this day, Mr. Christopher Violaris, Managing Director of Buy & Sell Bulgaria, invited the Bishop of Varna, Kiril, to bless all offices of Eurolink Investment Group and its people, as well as partners and clients. Bishop Kiril wished us health and wellbeing and sprinkled holy water over our heads, as we kissed the Cross. He beseeched us to be good and do good and not just expect to receive and gain. God bless us all.
