#lazaruvane

A Lazarka refers to a young girl participating in the traditional Bulgarian spring ritual called Lazaruvane, as celebrated in the village of Kozichino in the Burgas region.

Lazarki from Dragalevtsi, Sofia

Lazarka from Sofia, Bulgaria

Lazarki from Dragalevtsi, Sofia

On Palm Sunday (Tsvetnitsa, Vrubnitsa) the lazarki do the custom kumichene. It is the last ritual of the maidens’ spring games. Early in the morning all lazarki head to the river. Each one carries a bouquet of flowers, a wreath or a small bread called kukla (“doll“). The girls line up on the riverside or on the bridge, and throw their objects in the river all at the same time. If the wreath/bread flows with the stream without getting caught up, it’s taken as a sign of a close wedding. The girl whose wreath or bread flows fastest is chosen as “god mother” (kumitsa) of the rest of the lazarki. This is considered a great honour and it is believed that she’ll be the first to get married. She leads a horo to her home where they have a feast and sing many songs. From then until Easter the girls keep a ritual silence in the presence of the kumitsa, then they visit her and bring her painted Easter eggs and ritual breads. Once again, they sing and dance. With this the lazaruvane ritual complex is finished and the girls are able to get married. There is also the belief that a girl who has been a lazarka and has done kumichene cannot be stolen by a zmey.

Lazarki in Etura

Lazarki in Kozichino

Lazarki in Bistritsa