雅虎香港電視

STORY: This Bulgarian town marks the

start of Lent with a unique tradition

'Horse Easter'

Locator: Bachevo, Bulgaria

Date: March 4, 2023

Villagers dress up in traditional

clothing and take part in horse races

(Yanka Velinova, Participant)

"Each farmer must show how strong his horse is. First, we have the 'racing' category, then the 'weight' category, which shows how much strength each horse has."

Other rituals include making

horseshoe-shaped cookies and bread

In the Orthodox Christian calendar, the first

week of Lent is dedicated to St. Theodore

who is considered the patron saint of horses