The Orthodox Church commemorates the memory of the martyr Dimitar Peacekeeper of Thessaloniki. He was born in the third century in Thessaloniki and his father was then mayor. After his death, Emperor Maximian Hercules assigned this post to Dimitar, who was received with great joy and honor by the inhabitants of the city. As governor of Thessaloniki, Dimitar openly professes and glorifies the Christian faith. Unhappy with his behavior, Emperor Galerius imprisoned him. Before being sentenced, soldiers entered his cell and killed him with a spear during a prayer. Then the Christian church proclaims him a martyr of faith and a saint, and the citizens of Thessaloniki begin to honor him as the patron saint of the city.
Traditions and rituals
According to the popular ideas, Dimitrovden starts the winter; The popular saying goes: "George brings summer, Dimitar - winter." According to legend, St. Dimitar is the patron saint of winter and cold and is the older brother of St. George. He rides a red horse, and the first snowflakes pour from his long white beard. "If Dimitrovden comes, the snow is coming," say the Bulgarians. Therefore, on this day, the farmers harvest their arable land under the eaves and arrange their firewood.
From Dimitrovden begins the preparation for the so-called. "Mouse holidays" the next day. During this time, women should not engage in women's work - sewing, weaving, spinning or knitting. It does not take a hand or spindle in order not to anger the mice and not eat everything worked during the year. And there are some prohibitions for men these days - not to grab wheat from the barn, not to dive even a single grain of harvested corn. They have to smudge the barn, the sills of the house, the corners and the baskets, believing that this is how the eyes of the mice are smeared.
Ritual table: sheep meat turkey, stew, chicken stew, apple pie, boiled corn, roasted apples, pumpkin
Beliefs about Dimitrovden
In the Stara Planina regions, the farmers follow Dimitrovden's "polaznika", ie. the guest who will first cross the threshold of the house. If he is a good and wealthy man, they believe the coming year will be healthy and abundant.
If the moon is full against the feast, the bees will swarm and the hives will be filled with honey and the beehives will be full of lambs.
The treasure hunters believe that on the night of Dimitrovsk the sky "opens" and the buried yolks glow with a bluish flame.
October 26 - Dimitrovden
On this name day celebrated: Dimitar, Dimitrina, Demetra, Dimo, Dima, Dimka, Dimitrick, Dimcho, Dimana, Dragan, Mitko, Mitka, Mitra, Mitran, Mita
