After a month marked by fasting, praying and reflection, Muslim communities across Bulgaria are celebrating Ramazan Bayram (Eid al-Fitr), one of the most significant holidays in the Islamic calendar. This year, the three-day festivities began at dawn on March 20 with a holiday prayer, after which families gathered in their homes to share the holiday meal. The period of Ramadan that precedes the celebration emphasizes generosity, compassion and support for those in need, values that remain central to the spirit of the holiday.

Traditions continue to play a key role in the celebrations. In many households, younger family members greet elders by kissing their hands, reinforcing respect and family bonds. According to Gyonyul Dailova from the Gyunesh community centre in Ruse, such customs help preserve cultural identity and pass on important values like kindness and empathy to younger generations. She notes, however, that some practices are fading. In the past, children would go from house to house collecting sweets, but this is becoming less common, partly due to migration and smaller family networks. Community centres now try to bridge this gap by bringing generations together and keeping traditions alive.

The holiday is also closely associated with rich festive meals, which is why it is often called the “sugar feast.” Tables are filled with traditional desserts such as baklava, kadaif and lokum, symbolizing abundance and celebration. Among them, baklava remains the centerpiece, prepared with care and attention to detail. Ayşe Latif from Radio Shumen shared that her recipe, refined over more than three decades, includes simple ingredients but requires precision, particularly in handling the butter and syrup to achieve the desired texture and flavor. Small techniques, such as straining the butter or adjusting the syrup’s cooking time and lemon content, make a noticeable difference in the final result.

Despite its richness, baklava is valued less for its calorie count and more for its connection to tradition and memory. As Latif puts it, it is a taste associated with childhood and festive gatherings.

On the occasion, President Iliana Iotova extended her greetings to Bulgarian Muslims, highlighting that the holiday carries an important message of solidarity, compassion and mutual respect. She stressed that in a world marked by divisions, such traditions remind society of the importance of tolerance and peaceful coexistence, noting that Bulgaria continues to be an example of harmony among different ethnic and religious communities.