The name day of Nikolina, Nikola,
Nikolay, Kolyo. The Old Greek Nike means ‘victory, victor’.
The day is dedicated
to the saint, the patron of water, who protects the people. Saint
Nicholas reigns over the seas, the rivers, the lakes and the whole
underwater world – fishes, storm-demons, mermaids and nymphs. In folk
legends he is a white-bearded old man who helps sailors in trouble.
A legend tells how
Saint Nicholas saved a ship from sinking by
stopping the hole with a live carp. That is why on the table that day
the carp is the traditional offering, in addition to the dishes
without meat – sarmi, peppers and legumen.
The table is not cleared the whole day and the woman of the
house keeps the bone from the head of the carp, “the cross” as an
amulet against bad luck and diseases.
Saint Nicholas Day is a festival for children in
much of Europe related to surviving legends of the saint, and
particularly his reputation as a bringer of gifts. The American Santa
Claus, as well as the Anglo-Canadian and British Father Christmas,
derive from these legends.
Nikulden is "The Day of Saint Nikolas" -
a great winter festival celebrated by all Bulgarians on December
Sixth. It is the name day for everyone named Nikola, Nikolay, Kolyo,
Nikolina, Neno, Nenka, Nikolina or Nina.
Saint Nikolas is believed to help all the sailors
and fishermen. He was born during the third century in Patara, a
village in what is now Turkey. His wealthy parents, who raised him to
be a devout Christian, died in an epidemic while Nicholas was still
young. Obeying Jesus' words to "sell what you own and give the money
to the poor," Nicholas used his whole inheritance to assist the needy,
the sick, and the suffering. He dedicated his life to serving God and
was made Bishop of Myra while still a young man. Bishop Nicholas
became known throughout the land for his generosity to the those in
need, his love for children, and his concern for sailors and ships.
His icon decorates the lighthouse at the entrance to Varna Docks and
his church in Varna City. Not only is he the patron of sailors and
voyagers, he is known as the friend and protector of all in trouble or
need. Saint Nicholas is also the patron and protector of children.
He is the master of the entire submarine
realm - fish and water demons - as well as the sea winds. The autumn
fishing season ends on this day. The day's catch is to be offered to
the saint. Fishermen eat the first fish caught right on the shore,
before bringing the rest home.
According to the folk-Christian myths, it is Saint
Nikolas who makes the winds rage and cease. Saint Nikolas can walk on
the seas and whenever there is a ship in trouble, he would save it.
Saint Nikolas is the protector of sailors and fishermen, the patron
not only of those who bear his name, he is also a personal or family
protector. As like the Greek sailors, Bulgarians also keep icons of
Saint Nikolas on shipboard seeking protection from storms.
put icons of Nikolas into the sea, praying to
Saint Nikolas to bring their husbands safely back to shore. On this
day a special, family
lineage festival is arranged.
The traditional Nikulden meal in each household is based upon a
fish dish - “ribnik” - a carp in dough - is traditional for the
holiday. Carp is regarded as Nikolas' servant. There are also two
special loaves of bread. The food is blessed at church or at home
before being served. After wafting incense over the food, the host
raises the bread high, and breaks it in half. One half he keeps, the
other is left on the table.
It is on
Saint Nikolas' Day that the table is open to all guests and is not
cleared before the day is over. On this holiday - relatives, sponsors
and neighbours are invited and a big table is sanctified; the feast
day ending up in songs and fun.
Varna Saint Nicholas Collection
Varna Docks Lighthouse
This is one of the biggest
family holidays celebrated in the winter.
The holiday honours Saint Nicola - patron of the seas, sailors and
fishermen. Bankers and salesmen also honour him as their protector.
Fish meals are necessarily prepared for the celebration of
this day. While scaling the fish women should be careful not to let
its scales fall on the floor because it is believed that if someone
steps on them this someone may get ill or die. The bones should be
burnt, buried in the ground or thrown in the river. They sew the
parietal bone in the hats of the children to protect them from
sickness and the evil eye. The prepared meals are usually from carp
it is believed that it is "the servant of Saint Nicola". According to
the legend once when Saint Nicola went out in the sea with his boat a
storm came up and punctured his boat. Saint Nicola caught a carp fish
and plugged up the crack. This is how he and his companions were
There are different kinds of bread prepared in honour of the saints:
bogovitsa, svetets (saint), kravaj (ring-shaped bun), paraklis
(chapel) and nikul bread. Roasted carp fish and ribnik (fish meal) are
served as an offering (kurban). The whole carp fish stuffed with rice
and grits, with walnuts and raisins is roasted and after censing it is
broken up and served. The ribnik is also made of carp fish which is
folded into dough and then baked after it is flatten down and oiled.
Different patterns can be made on top of it, dough balls and sticks
representing the spine, the tail and the eyes of the carp fish can
also be stuck on it.
They leave the table with all the dishes on it all day long.
It is available for the guests at any time. Except for the fish and
the bread there is also beans stew, stuffed cabbage or vine leaves and
other meatless meals, soaked in olive oil or walnuts or sesame oil.
Church Holiday: the memory of Saint Nicola Mirlikliiski
Chudotvirets, also called Nicolaj Ugodnik. He was proclaimed the
bishop of town Mir during the time of Emperor Constantine the Great.
He dies in 342. As a spiritual father of Mir he bestowed strength and
life to the ill and low-spirited. He is renowned for his miracles in
saving the sailors and the ships from the sea storm. That is the
reason why this day is considered the end of the autumn and winter
fishing period. The caught fish is offered as a sacrifice to the
saint. At this day all the ships in the open sea stop their voyage to
honour the patriot saint.
Ritual Table: ritual breads, fish and meatless meals.
Version from Radio Bulgaria
The Day of Saint Nicholas, Nikola in Bulgarian, is celebrated on
December 6 and is one of the most respected traditional holidays in
this country to this very day. In every home a fish dish is prepared
for that great day. Saint Nicholas is most popular as patron of the
sea, rivers and lakes, of fishermen and sailors. Folk tradition adds
that the saint is also the master of winter colds and snow. And he is
also revered as the guardian of the family and the family property.
An ancient legend recounts of a mysterious
monastery of Saint Nikola near the village of Chepitovo. All that
could be seen from the monastery was a single iron door hidden in a
splash of greenery. However the door opened for only few people. Once
a village woman was washing nearby, at the lake. All of a sudden the
mysterious door swung open for her. The women got in and fearless,
went further. Very soon she came across an old man, Saint Nikola
himself. He asked her how she had come there, and she told him. "Well,
then, the old man said, I'll now show you the underground world." Soon
they saw a fairly-tale monastery, built of marble. A treasure of gold
coins was being kept in its church. When she was back home, the woman
was impatient to tell the story. Now everybody rushed to search for
the gold treasure but nobody opened the door, because Saint Nikola was
guarding it from greedy eyes. The legend further goes that once the
door opened for a poor fisherman. He too saw the wonderful monastery
and the treasure, but he told no one of his encounter with Saint
Nikola as he was cautious not to trigger human greed for gold. It is
believed that two icons have survived in the village from that
monastery. They were hanging tied with chains in front of the local
inn. Many times Ottoman Turks who then dominated Bulgaria, tried to
destroy the icons by throwing them in the lake, but they invariably
reappeared. Saint Nikola forecast that when the Bulgarian Christians
were liberated from the Ottoman Muslim yoke this fairy-tale monastery
would appear in the middle of the village.
We continue with a similar story sung in a folk
song from the region of Sofia. In it Saint Nikola started to build a
church that would suit the grandeur of God, with walls of silk
silver, and with a roof of gold. But before finishing the last door,
the gold was over. Then Saint Nikola became a monk and went among
people. They donated as much as they could, to build the church.
However the raised funds were not enough. So, a solution occurred to
him. He took his dense fishing-net, threw them in the white sacred
sea, and a barbell got caught in it. A priceless stone shone on its
head. Saint Nikola took it and completed the magnificent church. And
his catch he gave to people, to eat fish and drink wine to the glory
In the Bulgarian traditional beliefs, Saint
Nikola was the son of Saint Andrew, Andrey in Bulgarian whose day is
celebrated a week earlier, on the 30th of November.
Saint Nikola had two sisters - Saint Varvara and Saint Sava. Their
days are on 4 and 5 December. To honour Varvara small loaves of bread
were prepared, and were given to children to protect them from
illness. On the Day of Sava, the baked carp for Saint Nicholas Day was
prepared. These three holidays give the start to the Christmas ritual
cycle. In some village the Day of Saint Varvara is even known as
Women's Christmas. On Saint Nicholas day the dinner table is
consecrated with burning incense, just like on Christmas Eve.
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