Dormition of the Mother of God – one of the major Christian feasts of the year

The Bulgarian Orthodox Church marks the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God (The Assumption of Mary), one of the twelve major Christian feasts. According to Holy Scripture, this is the day when the Mother of God leaves her earthly life and joins her Son.

In Bulgarian folk tradition, the feast is known as Golyama Bogoroditsa (Great St. Mary’s Day). Malka Bogoroditsa is the day commemorating the birth of the Mother of Christ.

The Dormition of the Mother of God is marked by solemn services in Orthodox churches across the country. Traditionally, thousands of worshippers gather at the Bachkovo Monastery to pray before the miraculous icon of the Mother of God, which is believed to hear the prayers of the faithful, bring healing, and help women who come to pray for a child.

Believers seek the protection of the Holy Mother of God in times of hardship and life’s challenges. On this day, family gatherings are also traditionally held accompanied by a kurban- a ritual offering for life, health, a fruitful year, and protection from misfortune and illness.

Traditional dishes served on Golyama Bogoroditsa (Great St. Mary’s Day) include freshly baked, ornamented pita bread, chicken stew, boiled wheat, corn, and pumpkin. The feast day also marks the first tasting of the new grape harvest. Worshippers traditionally donate candles, handwoven cloth, towels and money to the church.

On August 15, people named Maria, Mariana, Mariela, Marieta, Marin, Mario, Panayot, Preslava, and others celebrate their name day.

Read also:

• Bulgaria's largest church from the National Revival Period celebrates its feast on the Assumption of the Theotokos
• The Church of the Assumption of Virgin Mary in Samokov preserves thespiritual memory of generations of Bulgarian

Edited by Gergana Mancheva

Translated by Kostadin Atanasov