Bulgaria celebrates the day of healing herbs - Midsummer Day

On 24th of June, Bulgaria marks Enyovden (Enyo’s Day), also known as Midsummer day. According to a popular belief, the night of June 24 is magical. It is believed that then all herbs acquire healing powers, which are retained only if the herbs are picked before sunrise. So people would go out early in the morning and gather 77 and a half herbs to cure 77 types of diseases and the “half herb” refers to cure “the unknown disease”.

According to Bulgarian folklore, the beginning of winter starts on Enyovden. It was believed that the sun trembles and dances when it rises on that day and whoever sees it is going to be healthy during the year.

Images by BGNES

At sunrise, people turn facing the sun and watch their shadows over their shoulders. It was belived that if the shadow is whole, the person will be healthy, if it is halved – they will be sick that year.

It was also believed that before the sun starts the long way towards winter, it stops to rest. It rises very early to say “goodbye” and bathes in the waters on Earth. When it drains itself, the water that falls off becomes dew. For good health, people bathe in springs and rivers and roll in the dew.

Because of the special healing properties of the water on the night before Enyovden, at sunset people gather “silent water” for healing and divination. They take the water from a clear, sweet spring, in complete silence, so the voice does not destroy its magic power. The water is then used to foretell about health, marriage and fertility.