BULGARIA MARKS ENYO’S DAY - 77 HERBS AND A HALF

On 24th of June, Bulgaria marks Enyovden (Enyo’s Day), also known as Midsummer day. According to a popular belief, the night of June 24 is magical. It is believed that then all herbs acquire healing powers, which are retained only if the herbs are picked before sunrise. So people would go out early in the morning and gather 77 and a half herbs, for each disease and for the nameless illness, because there is a cure for 77 of them, and for this half only herbs picked on Enyovden can help.

According to Bulgarian folklore, the beginning of winter starts on Enyovden. It was believed that the sun trembles and dances when it rises on that day and whoever sees it is going to be healthy during the year.

At sunrise, people turn facing the sun and watch their shadows over their shoulders. If the shadow is whole, the person will be healthy, if it is halved – he will be sick that year.

It was also believed that before the sun starts the long way towards winter, it stops to rest. It rises very early to say “goodbye” and bathes in the waters on Earth. When it drains itself, the water that falls off becomes dew. For good health, people bathe in springs and rivers and roll in the dew.

Because of the special healing properties of the water on the night before Enyovden, at sunset people gather “silent water” for healing and divination. They take the water from a clear, sweet spring, in complete silence, so the voice does not destroy its magic power. The water is then used to foretell about health, marriage and fertility.

The culmination of the celebrations is called Enyova boulja (Enyo’s Bride). The maidens from the village gather together and prepare the “bride”. They take a four or five year old girl and dress her in wedding clothes and a red veil and decorations on her head. Then the whole group takes the girl and parades it through the village, fields and water springs, while singing holiday songs. The purpose of the ritual is to ask St. Enyo for health for the people and fertility for the land.