This Bulgarian town marks the start of Lent with horses
STORY: This Bulgarian town marks the
start of Lent with a unique tradition
'Horse Easter'
Locator: Bachevo, Bulgaria
Date: March 4, 2023
Villagers dress up in traditional
clothing and take part in horse races
(Yanka Velinova, Participant)
"Each farmer must show how strong his horse is. First, we have the 'racing' category, then the 'weight' category, which shows how much strength each horse has."
Other rituals include making
horseshoe-shaped cookies and bread
In the Orthodox Christian calendar, the first
week of Lent is dedicated to St. Theodore
who is considered the patron saint of horses
