Bulgarians are celebrating Tuesday (May 6) "Gergyovden" - the day of one the most popular saints - St. George, who is among the few venerated by Christians and Muslims alike.

St. George was a Roman officer during the rule of Emperor Diocletian (284-305), who became one of the martyrs for Christianity. He was tortured and then beheaded (on April 23, 306) because of his refusal to renounce his Christian faith.

The holy martyr St. George the Victor has been considered one of the most important Saints ever since Christianity became the official state religion in Bulgaria in the 9th century.

In Bulgaria St. George is the patron of spring verdure and fertility, and of shepherds and farmers. His Day, May 6, is believed to set in summer and the new farming cycle.

Several hundred thousand Bulgarians, including President Georgi Parvanov and Parliament Speaker Georgi Pirinski, celebrate their name days on Tuesday.

A common ritual is to prepare and eat a whole lamb, which is an ancient practice possibly related to Slavic pagan sacrificial traditions and the fact that St. George is the patron saint of shepherds.

Special place on the table is attributed to the ritual Gergyovden bread. All sorts of bread are made for the feast - the cross bread, the shepherd's bread, the large ring-bread, as well as small ones, or the special ring-shaped bun baked by the young wife in the house.

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