Besides a wonderful tradition dating back centuries, the Martenitsa (the name comes from the name of the month - March - editor's note) marks the spiritual space of the Bulgarian nation and testifies to the cultural influence of our country in the past, reported BGNES.
Every year on the first day of the month of March, Bulgarians adorn themselves with Martenitsi, as the custom is associated with the triumph of the coming spring over the passing winter.
The Martenitsa is a typical Bulgarian custom, for which our country is known all over the world. In its classic form, the martenitsa is a interwoven white and red wool threads, with the red symbolizing life and the white symbolizing purity and happiness.
As for any other tradition, there are dozens of legends about the origin of the martenitsa. Perhaps the most famous is related to the founder of the Bulgarian state, Khan Asparukh. It says that when the khan crossed the Danube river, he decided to send word to his sister Huba, who was a captive in another kingdom, that he had found a new land for the Bulgarians. When the khan's sister received the good news, she managed to escape from captivity and headed for the Danube river. To be able to cross the majestic river, Hubba sent a falcon to find where the river is most shallow. She tied a white thread to the bird's leg and held the other in her hand. The falcon flew high in the sky, but just as it found the ford, it was pierced by an enemy arrow. The proud bird fell dead, its blood staining the white thread. However, Huba followed the thread and managed to cross the Danube and see her brother.
Apart from Bulgaria, martenitsi are also worn in several other countries on the Balkan Peninsula.
In North Macedonia, the martenitsa is called "martinka" and the celebration of the tradition completely overlaps with that in the southwestern parts of Bulgaria.
In Romania, martenitsi are called "mercishore" and are tied around the wrists of women and children only, and if given to a man, he must carry it in his pocket. Our northern neighbors associate the custom with the beginning of the agricultural year.
Moldova is another country where the tradition is widespread. Like their Romanian neighbors, Moldovans call the red-and-white thread "mercishore". According to the custom, the girls give martenitsi to the boys, which are worn until the end of the month and then hung on a fruit tree. The annual Murcishore festival has become one of the biggest celebrations in Moldova. The custom spills over into the community of Bessarabian Bulgarians and into Ukraine, where the tradition continues.
The Greek name for martenitsa is "martis" and it is mainly distributed in the northern part of the country. It is worn until the end of the month, and then, according to tradition, it is hung on roses. The martenitsa can also be removed when the first swallow appears.
In Albania, the martenitsa is called "monyak", and the customs surrounding it resemble the Bulgarian ones, since mostly people with Bulgarian roots follow the custom. The same applies to Serbia, where the custom is practiced by people of Bulgarian ethnic origin.
The popularity of martenitsi outside the borders of modern Bulgaria proves only one thing: today's martenitsi connect Bulgarians spiritually, regardless of where they live, just as the blood-stained white thread connected Khan Asparukh with his beloved sister. Moreover, the spread of Martenitsi outside the lands inhabited by ethnic Bulgarians testifies to the powerful cultural influence of Bulgaria in the region during the past centuries.
Regardless of the political realities of the 21st century, Martenitsa allows Bulgarians to live spiritually connected to each other, wherever they are. /BGNES
