Lazarice


Lazarice, also known by its Bulgarian name Lazaruvane, is a traditional procession during the Eastern Orthodox feast of Lazareva Subota, the day before Palm Sunday. Traditionally, a girl who has never participated in the ritual may not marry or be engaged.
The ritual is performed by young girls, called lazarki. The girls decorate their hair richly and colourfully and dance around the village singing songs. They stop from house to house, performing songs and blessing the homes, accepting small presents and food from the hosts, typically the men. They meet by a river, where they drop their wreaths. It is said that the girl whose laurel first takes the lead will be married first.
Traditionally the groups of lazarki would number around 14, but there are regional variances. It is no longer widely practiced in the large cities where many people live, and tends to be kept alive in the smaller villages - at least those which have young girls.
, Bulgaria