Bulgarian Easter Egg Traditions
Red dyed eggs have special meaning in Bulgarian springtime customs.
Easter eggs are an important part of Bulgarian Easter traditions. Many practices have fallen out of fashion, but these rituals are still strongly associated with spring.
In Bulgaria, eggs dyed red take precedent over the colorfully decorated eggs common throughout Eastern Europe. Red eggs symbolize love, femininity, and protection. Even the red dye has been a sacred element to the pagan-Orthodox Bulgarian Easter traditions – tossing it out, post-use, beside the house was said to keep evil spirits away. Some of these traditions are still in practice, but others have fallen out of practical use and are considered to be only novelties from times past.
Bulgarian Easter Bread
This loaf was baked to be large enough to be shared by the whole family. The top of the Bulgarian Easter bread was embedded with red and white eggs – white eggs represented male members of the household and red eggs represented the female members. Before being consumed to break the Lenten fast, red eggs were blessed at church, and eggs may have been cracked on its walls. Men and women, as in other Eastern European countries, cracked the tips of eggs together, much like Westerners may break a wishbone to see who is destined to have better luck.
Other Bulgarian Easter Egg Customs
Red eggs were buried in fields to prevent hail, and their shells were fed to livestock and glued to the ceilings and walls of the house for protection. People who died on Easter were buried with red eggs, and those who suffered from boils were given red eggs to rub on their skin. Children’s faces were touched with eggs in order to ensure future prosperity.
Historically, it was the tradition in Bulgaria to give Turkish neighbors eggs and bread. In Bulgarian houses, hostesses would present every guest on Easter with an egg. Today, adults are left out of this Bulgarian custom and it is the children who are given eggs on Easter.
Selected References
Newall, Venetia. “Easter Eggs: Symbols of Life and Renewal.” Folklore, Vol 95, No. 1. (1984), pp. 21-29.
