ROOSTER’S DAY

What the event is about:

This day is especially important in northeastern Bulgaria. It is dedicated to the health and sexual maturation of adolescents. According to tradition, a black rooster is sacrificed, and 3 different dishes are prepared. The beginning of the feast originates from the biblical tale of King Herod, who ordered that all male children be slaughtered after the birth of Jesus, so that the Messiah himself could be killed.

In the village of Golitsa (in the region of Varna) , the Day of The Male Child, Rooster’s Day, is celebrated with an authentic ritual. According to legends, the ritual of slaughtering a rooster dates back to the days of Ottoman domination, when mothers saved their sons from the cruel blood tax. The blood of the slaughtered rooster was used to make a cross sign on the doors to show that the house had already been visited by the army and that the family had already “paid the blood tax” (which is when boys aged 5-9 years old were taken to be trained and to take part in the army of the bashaw).

The festive program includes dances on the main plaza and other folk customs, which are part of the winter ritual cycle. The only rooster monument in Bulgaria is found in the center of the village of Golitsa.

• The holiday is also celebrated on the 20th of January.