

The first Saturday after the begining of the Long Lent is the day of st. Teodor Tiron (Todorovden).
The date depends on Easter so it changes every ear.
Todorovden (“Todorov” – means of Todor, “den” means day – so tha day if Todor) is also called Horse Easter (Konski Velikden in Bulgarian, “kon” means horse, “Velikden” means Easter). The main events realted with Todorovden are the horse races.
People with name Todor, Teodor, Bojidar, Juliana, Donka celebrate nameday on that day.
Todorovden is an important day realted with the spring and the rich crop Bulgarian traditions and rituals.
The legend
According to the national legends st. Todor travels all over the spring fields to check the sowings, then he fixes his spear into the ground and tie up the horse to the spear, takes off his nine coats (the symbol of the coming spring) and prays fo summer.
The tradition for Todorovden
On sunrise men braid the horse manes and decorate them with beads and tassels.
The young wifes prepare traditional breads. The shape of the breads is like a horseshoe. The bread is spread with honey. Mothers-in-law check the bread and gove it to the people.
This ritual brings closer young women and their mohers in law. Part of the ritual bred is given to the horses do that they are healthy and have colts.
Young girls wash their hairs with water with straws from the horse cribs so that their hairs are beautiful and healthy as the horse mane. Then the girls pour out the water and the horses are ready to take part in the races.
Horse races are main part of Todorovden.
The traditional dishes are bread, lentils, mushroom soup, potatoes and corn.
Don’t miss to see some of the horse racing organized in many places in Bulgaria.
One of the horse races will be organized in:
Sofia region, village Radomir
Sofia region, village Divotino
Pernik region, village Bosnek
Blagoevgrad region, village Simitli
Smolian region, village Smilian
Smolian region, village Momchilovci
Vidin region, municipality Kula, place “Markovishte” (horses and donkeys)
Montana region, village Lom
Veliko Tarnovo
The key word in Bulgarian related with the hors races is “кушия” (kushia) and Тодоровден (Todorovden). Kushia is very old and interesting bulgarian word used espcially for Todorovden horse races.
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