BULGARIA MARKS ST. JORDAN’S DAY (EPIPHANY)

On 6th of January Bulgaria commemorates one of the most ancient Christian holidays known as St. Jordan’s Day .It falls on the twelfth day after Christmas and marks the day Jesus was baptised in the Jordan River by John the Baptist.

The main ritual on this day is performed early in the morning by a priest who throws a wooden cross into the river, sea or lake. Young men dive in the ice-cold water and race to retrieve the cross. It is believed that the man who first takes the cross out of the water is blessed to be healthy throughout the year. The priest delivers a special blessing to that man and his household.

The ritual is followed by a festive liturgy. The Bulgarian Patriarch Neophyte serves a Great Blessing of Waters Liturgy in St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sofia.

Traditionally water blessing of the Bulgarian military flags and the flags and banners of the sacred places of the Bulgarian Army takes place in front of the Monument of the Unknown Soldier in the capital city of Sofia.

The feast has different names in the different regions of the country: Bogoyavlenie ("Manifestation of God"), Krashtenie Gospodne ("Baptism of the Lord") or Yordanovden ("Day of Jordan", referring to the river).

In Bulgaria the holiday has a special place in the cultural tradition since many people are named Jordan and celebrate their name day.