Bulgaria Marks the Day of Saints Peter and Paul

On 29th of June, the Orhtodox Church honours the memory of the holy apostles St. Peter and St. Paul. The feast is known as Petrovden (Peter’s Day).

St Peter he was a fisherman from the town of Bethsaida. He was one of Christ's first disciples and one of his devoted followers. St. Peter was one of Jesus Christ’s 12 apostles and spent most of his life preaching the Christian gospel after Jesus’ death.

Paul, born in Tarsus, Cilicia, initially professed the Jewish religion and was among the persecutors of Christians.

On the road to Damascus, Paul was struck down by a blinding light coming from Jesus. He was taken back to the city, where after three days he was miraculously healed. From a fierce adversary he became the most zealous distributor of Christ's doctrine. In the year 67, along with his companion Peter, they were crucified by Emperor Nero in Rome.

In the folk calendar, Peter’s Day is preceded by a fast, which starts with the first week after Pentecost. On Peter’s day, the fast finishes with a chicken was prepared. The holiday coincides with the harvesting time, when people work hard in the fields and on this day people usually work in the first half of the day.

The two apostles are often perceived by the Bulgarians as brothers, of whom Peter is the younger. Sometimes they are considered twins. In iconography, St. Peter is portrayed as an old man in white clothes who holds the keys of the heavenly gates and determines which soul is righteous and which is not.

People with the names Petar (rom greek – meaning “stone”), Pavel, Petrana, Petya, Pavlin, Pavlina, Polina, Penka, Pencho, and Kamen celebrate their name day.