June 21 is the Official Start of Astronomical Summer

The astronomical summer started at 7.24 on 21^st of June. Today is the longest day of the year with a length of daylight of 15 hours and 19 minutes.

Early this morning, with an ancient Thracian ritual, hundreds of people from all over the country welcomed the sun on the longest day of the year at the rock sanctuary of Zaichi Vrah over the Thracian and ancient town of Kabile, Yambol district.

For the first time this year at Zaichi Vrah, a 2,000 year old ritual was recreated. The Orphic text presented during the ritual is a translation from ancient Greek sources adapted by the tracologist Prof. Dr. of Historical Sciences, Valeria Fol.

The sun must be revered and fed, and the ritual ends with an embrace for everyone on this day because the sun brings light, joy and life, she explained.

The organizer of the event is the Regional History Museum and the Municipality of Yambol.

Stefan Bakardzhiev, Director of the history museum in Yambol said that the aim was to show people the true ritual that was last done about 2,000 years ago, or actually how the Thracians used to meet the sun and what rituals accompanied its deification.

With every year, the number of those who wish to meet the sun on the longest day of the year at Zaichi Vrah is increasing, and the ritual is turning into a tourist attraction.