Bread and beans for St Barbara

Travellers planning to fly to Bulgaria at the beginning of December may be interested to know that on December 4th St Barbara's day is celebrated nationwide.

A popular saint within the Christian orthodox tradition, the day of St Varvara, as she is known in Bulgaria, is traditionally celebrated with the baking of unleavened bread and buns and the boiling of beans, which are then shared with friends and neighbours.

St Barbara's day traditionally marks the beginning of the winter holidays in Bulgaria and is also known as "women's Christmas" as historically just women and girls celebrate the day.

Visitors to Bulgaria on the saint's day maybe lucky enough to be given some of the sweetened bread which wives and mothers, having baked it that day, traditionally hand out to passers-by.

The saint, said to have been a beautiful pagan woman who converted to Christianity in the 4th century AD and was killed by her father, is not only the protector of children's diseases but the patron saint of thunderstorms, fires, sudden death and artillerymen.

For more information about the saint's day visit the Plovdiv guide website.

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