The Bulgarian Easter traditions are a variant of Orthodox Easter traditions and here egg cracking is good for more than just eating the egg. The bright red colored egg is the symbol of Easter for the Orthodox Christians all over the world. The eggs are colored on Holy Thursday after the Divine Liturgy. The Easter breads are a worldwide Orthodox tradition as well. They are big and small and decorated. The bread is called "kolache" or "kozunak. One of these Easter breads is specially decorated with one or more (but an odd number) of red eggs are put into it. This bread is taken to church on Saturday evening when a special sequence of services takes place: Midnight Office, Rush Procession, Matins & Divine Liturgy.

These are actually the services of Great and Holy Pascha (Velikden). After the service the clergy blesses the breads and eggs brought by the people and they take them home. Such breads and eggs are presented especially to the Spiritual parents (God parents, krustnitcite), to the biological parents, and also to other relatives, friends, etc.

The eggs are cracked after the midnight service and during the next days. One egg is cracked on the wall of the church (and this is the first egg eaten after the long Great Fast). The ritual of cracking the eggs takes place before the Easter lunch. Each person selects his/her egg. Then people take turns tapping their egg against the eggs of others, and the person who ends up with the last unbroken egg is believed to have a year of good luck.

The traditional Orthodox Paschal greeting is: "Christ is Risen!" The answer is: "Indeed He is Risen". These greetings are exchanged during the tapping of the eggs, mentioned above: They are repeated 3 times and the actual tapping is after that.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!