The day is the last of the big autumn holidays. It marks the beginning of a period in which people look at themselves, arrange their values and prepare for the great Christmas miracle – the birth of Christ.
On this day, name day is celebrated by: Angel, Angelina, Lina, Mikhail, Mihailina, Mihaela, Mila, Milena, Rangel, Raphael, Gavrail, Gavril, Seraphim, Rayko, Raya, Radko, Raina, Radoslav, Rada, Radostin, Radivoy, Emilia , Emil, Rayka, Raichin, Racho, Plamen, Flamena, Ognyan, Ognyana, Milko, Milka, Miho, Gele, Hanka
Information about Archangel’s Day
The Church has designated this day as a holiday in honor of the holy angels and especially of St. Archstrategist Michael whom he considers the leader of the heavenly forces.
Traditions and customs
The main focus of the customs on this day and the name of the holiday are determined by the so-called belief that St. Rangel is one of the six heroic brothers on whom the dead fell during the division of the world. He takes out the soul of man and is therefore called the soul puller.
On Archangel’s Day, Bulgarians slaughter a sacrifice in honor of the patron saint of the dead. Usually a male animal is sacrificed – a ram or a ram, whose head and limbs are boiled whole and then burned with incense.
The women prepare and distribute among themselves special ritual breads, called “Rangelov” or “Lord’s bread”, “bogovitsa”, “Saint Petka”, “Rangelovo dish”. The festive table, be it family or village-wide, is consecrated by a representative of the church. The skin of the ritual sacrificial animal is always donated to the church.
The Saturday before Archangel’s Day is St. John’s Day. Red wine is poured over the graves of the deceased, grain is distributed, a candle is lit – to illuminate the path of the soul in the afterlife.
There is no work on the holiday.
Superstitions for Archangel’s Day
Our people believe that when the dying person smiles, Archangel Michael hands him a golden apple. If he dies in convulsions, he is about to drink a bitter cup.
Full list of celebrants: Angel, Angelina, Angelinka, Archangel, Gavrail, Gavril, Emil, Emilia, Emilian, Emiliana, Lina, Mila, Miladin, Milan, Milana, Milanka, Milen, Milena, Milio, Michael, Michaela, Michael, Michaela , Miho, Ognyan, Ognyana, Plamen, Plamena, Rada, Radi, Radivoy, Radka, Radko, Radmila, Radoslav, Radoslava, Radostin, Radostina, Raiko, Raina, Raicho, Rangel, Raphael, Raya, Rusi, Ruska, Ruslan, Seraphim .
