St. Vasil’s Day, also known as Survaki, is an annual celebration that Eastern Orthodox Christians honor on January 1st. The holiday commemorates St. Vasil the Great, a notable philosopher and writer in the early Christian Church. He was born into a noble Christian family in Caesarea Cappadocia in 350 AD. His mother and grandmother played a significant role in his upbringing, instilling Christian values in him and his brother Gregory. After studying in Caesarea and Athens, St. Basil settled near Neocaesaria on the Iris River and established a modest monastic dormitory. Together with his friend and co-creator, Gregory the Theologian, they created a rule of monastic life that the Orthodox Church used for centuries. St. Basil was one of the most prominent apologists of the Eastern Church.
The folklore tradition in Bulgaria associates St. Vasil’s Day with the Survakan custom, which involves groups of young men going around houses at night and surveying their owners. Survakan has a leader and a person who acts as a donkey and collects gifts. On holiday, groups of children also pass by to greet the owners of the houses. The Survakan is a continuation of the carol blessings, and it is traditional for the Survakars to bring cornflowers decorated with popcorn, dried fruit, and wool. In some places, pear twigs are used instead of dogwood.
The evening before Survaki, the landlady prepares the traditional fortune pie made from grated crusts and cheese. Fortune-telling is done in it using dogwood buds. The oldest representative in the family turns the pie in the twelfth hour. According to Bulgarian folklore, the dogwood tree is one of the healthiest tree species in the country. It is the earliest tree to bud and bloom, but its fruit is the last to be picked and used in folk medicine.
New Year’s rites, including collective fortune-telling of which girl will marry whom, are a part of the holiday. The festive table is prosperous and blissful, with a meal burned with incense to ward off evil spirits. In addition to the New Year’s fortune pie, pork pacha from the Christmas pig is also served. Some regions of the country raise a rooster, usually prepared with sauerkraut. The festive table also includes fruit and popcorn. St. Basil’s Day is counted among the most mystical Bulgarian holidays as most of the rituals and rites performed during these days carry the spirit of the old Bulgarians.
The Bulgarian names that celebrate St. Vasil’s Day include Vasil, Vasko, Vasilka, Vasilia, Vasilena, Veselin, Vesela, Vasili, Vasilina, Vasiyana, Vaso, Vlada, Vlastin, Vlastina, Vlastomir, Vlaiko, Vatsa, Vala, Votto, Tsarena, Tsaril, and Tsarila. The day is rich in history and tradition, showcasing Bulgarian culture’s unique and mystical elements.
