Today is Maundy Thursday – one of the most important days of Holy Week. According to the Holy Scriptures, the Last Supper took place on this day, when Jesus predicted his death and the betrayal of Judas.
On this day, the priests take the cross out of the altar, which symbolizes its carrying by Christ to Calvary. During the oil festival, according to custom, every willing layman is anointed with oil for he alth.
At the liturgy that takes place in the church, 12 specific passages from the Gospel are read, including those about the Last Supper and Judas' traitorous kiss.
On Maundy Thursday, the leaven is renewed and the dough for the Easter bread is kneaded. They bear the most diverse names in Bulgaria: Easter kravai, god's pita, koshara, harrow, kvasnik, egg, plenitsa or doll. They are usually decorated with an odd number of red or white eggs and dough twisted around them. Women also prepare smaller Easter breads with a red egg in the middle, which are given to the first guest, the best men and relatives.
According to tradition, there should be more red eggs on the table for the he alth of the whole family. Some people bring red eggs to the temples for the Saturday evening mass.
Some traditions say that the red eggs symbolize pebbles behind the cross that were dyed by the blood of Jesus Christ.
According to others, Mary Magdalene dyed red eggs, which symbolize the spilled blood of the Savior, and took them to the tomb. Understanding about the resurrection of Christ, she distributed them to the children.
Egg dyeing has a centuries-old history. The tradition of dyeing eggs, considered a symbol of the universe, dates back to the time of the ancient Chinese, Romans, and Gauls. In our country, by tradition, on Maundy Thursday, the festive kosunacs are also involved.
If you still can't dye the eggs and knead the ritual breads today, you can do it on Holy Saturday. Remember no washing or any other housework today.
