Lazarice

Lazarice (Serbian: лазарице),[1] also known by its Bulgarian name Lazaruvane (Bulgarian: лазаруване),[2] is a South Slavic traditional procession during the Eastern Orthodox feast of Lazareva Subota (corresponding to but distinct from Lazarus Saturday in other Eastern Orthodox Churches), the day before Palm Sunday. Historians and anthropologists think that Lazarice originated from the Roman Empire festival Rosalia, popularized in Southeastern Europe by the Romans after their conquest of Balkans in the 2nd century BC. Slavic tribes, settled in the Balkans in the 6th to 7th centuries was adopted and developed part of the Greek-Roman traditions in their rituals.[3]

Traditionally, a girl who has never participated in the ritual may not marry or be engaged. The ritual is performed by young girls (typically of age 16 who are unmarried), called lazarki (Bulgarian: лазарки). The girls decorate their hair richly and colourfully (usually with flower and ribbon wreaths) and dance around the village singing songs. They stop from house to house, performing songs and blessing the homes, accepting small presents and food from the hosts, typically the men. They meet by a river, where they drop their wreaths. It is said that the girl whose laurel first takes the lead will be married first. Traditionally, the groups of lazarki would number around 14, but there are regional variances. It is no longer widely practiced in the large cities where many people live, and tends to be kept alive in the smaller villages, at least those which have young girls.[4]

References

  1. ^ Thanailaki, Polly (2018). "Euterpe, the Muse of Music: Women's Position as Seen through Folklore Songs and Dances (Nineteenth to Early Twentieth Centuries)". In Thanailaki, Polly (ed.). Gender Inequalities in Rural European Communities During 19th and Early 20th Century: A Historical Perspective. Cham: Springer International Publishing. pp. 123–154. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-75235-8_6. ISBN 978-3-319-75235-8. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
  2. ^ "It's Lazarovden in Bulgaria! Customs and Symbolism". Sofia News Agency. 12 April 2025. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
  3. ^ Stoynev, Anani (2006). Bŭlgarska mitologiya. Entsiklopedichen rechnik Българска митология. Енциклопедичен речник, Анани Стойнев [Bulgarian Mythology: Encyclopedic Dictionary] (in Bulgarian). Sofia: Zahariy Stoyanov.
  4. ^ Manev, Vasil (2018). "How Bulgarians Celebrate Lazarus Saturday – Lazarovden". EU Scoop. Archived from the original on 31 March 2018. Retrieved 29 September 2025.

Bibliography

  • Đorđević, D. (1958). Život i običaji narodni u Leskovačkoj Moravi Живот и обичаjи народни у Лесковачкоj Морави [Life and Customs of the People of Leskovac Morava] (in Serbian). Belgrade.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  • Kamenova, A. (1992). "Proletni obichai ot Chiprovtsi" Пролетни обичаи от Чипровци [Spring Customs from Chiprovtsi]. Bŭlgarska etnografiya (in Bulgarian) (4). Sofia: 40–46.
  • Marinov, D. (1914). Narodna vyara i religiozni narodni obichai Народна вяра и религиозни народни обичаи [Folk Faith and Religious Folk Customs] (in Bulgarian). Sofia.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
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