Public holidays in Finland

Today, after Epiphany, the Orthodox Church celebrates the Council of St. Prophet John the Forerunner and Baptist. The day is popular as Ivanovden in Bulgaria (Ivan's Day) and is among the holidays with the largest number people who have a name day in our country - over 347 thousand.

The 1st of May is one of the official holidays in Bulgaria and an official day off work.

The rules based on which citizens will celebrate the holiday season and churches will operate were published in the government gazette on Tuesday.

Based on the law, which will be in effect from December 13 to January 7, 2021, gatherings at homes on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's Day will be limited to a maximum of nine people from two families.

The government on Friday announced limited reopening measures for the Christmas holidays amid pressure from the country's high epidemiological burden.

Retailers will operate in the form of online ordering and collections from the store, without customers entering the stores (known as curbside pick-up or click-and-collect service) from December 13 - January 7.

Participants pose for a photo during the annual bell-bearing tradition in the village of Kali Vrisi in the region of Drama, northern Greece. Every winter, following the Orthodox Church's celebration of the Epiphany, locals in several villages across the Balkans perform such animalistic masquerades and ritual dances to ward off evil spirits and awaken the coming spring.

In North Macedonia, the Christmas celebrations began on January 5, the night before Christmas Eve, with bonfire nights organised across the country. This one took place in the capital, Skopje. Photo: EPA-EFE/GEORGI LICOVSKI

On December 25 we celebrate Christmas, also known as Nativity of Jesus, Bozhik or Bozhich. This is one of the greatest church holidays in the Christian world.

Today's name day celebrates everyone who bears the names -

On December 24 we celebrate one of the greatest Christian holidays - Christmas Eve.

According to the biblical tradition, on Christmas Eve,  Virgin Mary goes into labor and is the beginning of Christ's birth.

The family gathers in anticipation of the birth of the Son of God, Jesus Christ.

Orthodox Christians in Bulgaria mark on Wednesday Ignazhden, the day of St. Ignatius, which inaugurates all the Christmas and New Year festivities.

It was from this day to Christmas Eve that Virgin Mary's labours continued.