7 January - a Name Day in Bulgaria for St. Jordan

This holiday is about water and its purifying, healing and magic powers. In the early morning, the priest of the village christens the water in a river and throws a wooden crest in it. The young men of the village jump into the ice cold waters to look for it. He who finds it first and brings it back to the priest is blessed for health and longevity and rewarded with gold coins.

At home, the women prepare a ritual dinner. They burn some incense and fumigate the table in order to mark the end of the dirty days and to drive the evil away.

The name of the holiday comes after the name of the river Jordan. Other people who celebrate on this day: Bogomil (‘dear to God’), Bogdan (‘given by God’), Yonko, Yonka, Yoto, Yordan, Yordanka.

In my village we are meeting at the river at 1:30 this afternoon.