On December 20, the Church honors one of St. Mary's most devoted and intimate disciples. The Apostle John - St. Ignatius, also called the God-bearer, because he himself claimed to carry God in his heart. Because of his faith and refusal to bow to the Roman gods, he was condemned to death by Emperor Traian, thrown to the wild beasts and torn by them.
Besides Ignadzhden, in different parts of Bulgaria the holiday is also known by other names: Idinak, Idinajden, Polazov Day and others. According to the belief on this day, the birth pangs of the Mother of God begin, and it is also called the New Day and the New Year.
The whole ritual of the holiday is intended to provoke and to beg fertility and prosperity in the New Year. The rituals performed are also associated with the belief that the Dirty Days, which last until the New Year, begin from Ignatius.
Even before sunrise, women wash their chimneys and throw soot at the crossroads - so that there are no fleas in the summer. Ashes are sprinkled around the house as well, thus protecting the pets from evil eyes.
For fertility, symbolically in one of the rooms are sown cereals and barley grains, and around the most sacred place - the hearth, fruits and nuts are spread.
Whether there will be a briquettes is guessed by the charcoal of the ax. If it burns the coal completely and becomes ash on it, the year will be fruitful.
Ignadjen must knead dough. Part of it is made of crosses on the beams - to escape all evil. The rest is baked - just as many family members are.
Photo: trydiani.blogspot
For healing and magic in Ruse and Razgrad the rite Vardene of kvass is distributed. The participants in it are only women. On the eve of the holiday, they gather in a house and two of them (first and last born) knead the dough with "magician" herbs. It should be kept all night by a married woman while the other girls play people. The ritual is repeated on 12 nights, dividing the dough between women on the last night and keeping it safe for lessons and lessons throughout the New Year.
Another common ritual is divination for girls - who the young people will marry. They go out early in the morning by the log and sprinkle with barley grains, saying, "Lucky for me, come night and harvest it together." Then, the young woman takes the cracks in one hand and the barley in the other. If the number of canes is even, then next year there will be no wedding, if it is odd - the girl will go under the wedding. In the evening she puts the nipples under her pillow and whoever dreams of a dream will marry him.
The most important and widespread custom of this day is climbing. From who will enter the house first, one can guess what the next year will be like. If the guest is good and lucky, then she will be gracious and successful for the whole family. In the past, the attendant was often chosen and invited in advance by the hosts. Upon entering the house, he had to stir the hearth with a stick with the words: "As many sparks in the fire, so many kids in the barn." Then he sprinkled the house with wheat, blessing: "To be born where a plow walks, where it walks and does not walk!". For his wishes, the passer-by was sprinkled with wheat and dried fruits - for blessings. In some areas he was also given a shirt, towel, socks or incense wool.
A pet is also considered a good sign, to which bread is necessarily given in gratitude.
If a pregnant woman or a woman with young children enters the home, great joy awaits you.
It's also good if a fox crosses your path.
It is believed that if you meet a Gypsy on Ignatius, you will be happy all year long.
The bad thing is meeting a sorceress, a pop, an orphan or a person with a birthmark.
According to the custom, nothing should be given on this day to preserve the abundance and fertility of the family.
Nothing should be removed from the house - especially fire, embers or salt, to prevent the birch from coming out.
It is not good to conceive a child on this holiday because he will be born with a disability.
Do not boil the beans to avoid hailing the crops.
He did not wash until the disease came.
Pregnant and unborn women do not work to give birth easily.
The hives do not move, otherwise the bees will run away.
Young children have their ears pulled to grow faster.
Ignadjen also makes some predictions about what the weather is like. If it snows, the year will be fruitful. Is it sunny - there will be drought, it will be cloudy - the harvest will be good.
In the Rhodopes, the holiday is also known as "Haiwan." "Hayvanchets" are called domestic horse-drawn animals there. On this day, cattle do not harness - to be healthy and strong all year long.
The gathering of Christmas groups begins from Ignadzhen. That is why every farmer must choose and cut down the Budnik - an oak or pear tree that will burn in the home fire on Christmas Eve.
Traditionally, the ritual pie is mixed with yeast, which breaks in the evening. Whoever has the biggest piece left will be in luck. Beetroot is also being prepared. Also cooked are sarmi, oshav, leek dishes, bulgur, honey.
The first Kadena Dinner is made in Eastern Bulgaria. The table is again lean, but extremely rich - millet, walnuts, beans, cabbage, pickles, cookies, corn… A candle is lit on the bread and wheat, and the oldest in the family walks around the house with incense. The ashes, candles and walnuts are reserved for the rest of the Incense Evenings until Christmas.
As Ignatius means "flaming day", in addition to Ignatius, Ignatius, on 20 December, the name day is also celebrated: Fire, Fire, Flame, Flame, Spark, Iskren, Svetoslav, Svetoslav.
