This is a holiday observed in honour
of the wolves who according to the common belief "go crazy" during these days.
In order to protect themselves from the wolves people should observe a lot of prohibitions:
they should not work on these days, the women should not spin, knit or weave.
One of the strictest prohibitions is not to use the scissors so that the jaws of the
wolves won't open. On these days the dough-trough is turned upside down for this same reason.
The women should not sweep in the yard, nor should they throw out the dust. Bread is
kneaded and it is put in the forage of the animals so that wolves won't attack them.
In the Rhodopa mountain the third day is also known as Christ's Mother
and it is celebrated primarily by the young and childless women. If they want to get
pregnant they should bake a loaf of bread made of corn, then they should break it and
give the pieces to the neighbours. This day (Simeon's Day) is considered to be one of the
worst during the year. It is believed that if a woman works on this day then the child she
gives bird to will be born with a scar, that is why the work prohibition is most severely
observed by the pregnant women.
ÂIn some of the regions during these days people foretell
about the weather and the crops during the year. It is believed that if the weather is
fine on the second day of the holidays such will it be too during the next 40 days. If
snow begins to fall in big flakes, then the bees will swarm well. In the region of Pleven
people foretell about the weather during the year just like they do on
st.Vasil's Day.
In some regions they hit the fire-brands to frighten away the snakes and the lizards.
If you take money on the second day so will you do the whole year;
if you lend money someone so will you be doing the whole year long.
Church Holiday: On the 2nd of February Bulgarian Orthodox Church
celebrates the so called Winter Virgin Mary. This is one of the four holidays dedicated
to the Virgin Mary. The day coincides with the 40th day of Jesus' birth when Virgin Mary went to the Temple in
Jerusalem.
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