Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Traditional male dance in the icy waters of Tundzha River to take place on Epiphany

Traditional male dance in Kalofer on Epiphany (archive)
Photo: REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov

This year, as always, hundreds of brave men from the town of Kalofer and the whole country will embark on January 6 - Epiphany - in a men's dance in the icy waters of the Tundzha River. It is believed that anyone who enters the cold water of Epiphany will be healthy throughout the year. 

The ritual men's dance will begin at 4:30 a.m. with a solemn Divine Liturgy in the local church St. Archangel Michael. After that, everyone will head to the river in a procession, reports BNR correspondent Daniela Dobreva. 


The throwing of the cross into the water is scheduled for 8 a.m. According to local custom, the savior of the cross gives it to the youngest child participating in the ritual. After that, the men will dance a traditional round dance in the cold waters of the river.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Daytime temperatures will rise, but it will be cloudy in the morning

On Wednesday in the morning hours when temperatures will be slightly below zero, there will be conditions for black ice to form. The lowest temperatures will be between minus 4 and 1°C; in Sofia it will be around minus 2°C. Before..

published on 1/21/25 6:50 PM

European integration of the Western Balkans and support for Ukraine remain priorities for Bulgaria

The new Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria, Georg Georgiev, has held his first telephone conversation with the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas.  Georgiev pointed out..

published on 1/21/25 4:08 PM

Austrian companies in Bulgaria expect stable business climate in 2025

The majority of Austrian companies that have invested in Bulgaria expect the economic climate in the country to remain stable (54%) or improve (13%) over the next 12 months. This was shown by the traditional "Survey among Austrian..

published on 1/21/25 3:35 PM