Lazarice (), also known by its Bulgarian name Lazaruvane (), is a South Slavic traditional procession during the

Eastern Orthodox Eastern Orthodoxy, otherwise known as Eastern Orthodox Christianity or Byzantine Christianity, is one of the three main Branches of Christianity, branches of Chalcedonian Christianity, alongside Catholic Church, Catholicism and Protestantism ...

feast of Lazareva Subota (corresponding to, but distinct from ''

Lazarus Saturday Lazarus Saturday in Eastern Christianity (consisting of the Eastern Orthodox Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodox, and Eastern Catholic Churches, Eastern Catholic Churches) refers to the moveable feast before Palm Sunda ...

'' in other Orthodox churches), the day before

Palm Sunday Palm Sunday is the Christian moveable feast that falls on the Sunday before Easter. The feast commemorates Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem, an event mentioned in each of the four canonical Gospels. Its name originates from the palm bran ...

. The historians and anthropologists think that Lazarice originated from the Roman festival Rosalia, popularized in Southeastern Europe by the Romans after their conquest of Balkans in the 2nd century B.C. Slavic tribes, settled in the Balkans in 6th - 7th century was adopted and developed part of the Greek - Roman traditions in their rites.Bulgarian mythology. Българска митология. Енциклопедичен речник, Анани Стойнев (in Bulgarian), published by "Захарий Стоянов" publishing house, Sofia, 2006 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 (). 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. Lazarka

References

* ''Ђорђевић Д.'' Живот и обичаjи народни у Лесковачкоj Морави. — Београд, 1958. * ''Каменова А.'' Пролетни обичаи от Чипровци // Българска етнография. Българска етнология. — София, 1992. — No. 4. — С. 40–46. * ''Маринов Д.'' Народна вяра и религиозни народни обичаи. — София, 1914.

External links

Shopski Lazarki

Song "Oy Lazare, Lazare"

Song "Vilay Moma Lazare"

How Bulgarians Celebrate Lazarus Saturday - EU Scoop
Bulgarian traditions Serbian traditions Lazarus of Bethany {{serbia-stub