Bulgarians Celebrate Saints Peter and Paul’s Day

June 29 marks the day of the Apostles St. Peter and St. Pavel (Paul) in the Bulgarian Orthodox calendar.

The feast day commemorates the martyrdom of the two great Apostles, assigned by tradition to the same day of June in the year 67. Saint Peter was crucified, while Saint Paul, a Roman citizen, was slain by a sword, after being imprisoned. Peter was known as a preacher of the Jews, while Paul – to the gentiles.

In some parts of Bulgaria, a rooster is sacrificed, as a tradition to mark the holiday. People with the names Petar, Petrana, Pavel, Petya, Pavlin, Pavlina, Polina, Penka, Pencho, and Kamen celebrate their name day.

A special liturgy will be given by Bulgaria’s Patriarch Neofit, in Sofia’s St. Peter and St. Paul Church.