Babinden is a traditional Bulgarian holiday, celebrated on January 8 (or in some regions on January 21), in honor of midwives. The traditional word for midwife in Bulgarian is baba, like grandmother. The holiday has pagan origins and is part of traditional family rituals.
Babinden, the midwives' festival
On Babinden day, all children born in the previous year and their mothers gather at the midwife's house to perform the following rituals.
The bathing of children by the midwife, followed by blessings, anointing the babies with honey and butter and giving the midwife gifts (wool and ritual bread in the form of small pretzels). The ritual is performed to ensure the health of all participants.
Young mothers (those who have given birth in the last year) bring bread, banitsa (traditional cheese filo pastry similar to tiropita Greek), grilled chicken and wine. They help the midwife wash and present her with new clothes – shirt, apron, scarf, socks, etc.
Then the last ritual is the bathing of the midwife (performed only in some regions of the country). After the feast of the young mothers, the midwife is taken to the nearest water point (river, lake or well) and is ritually bathed.
Men cannot participate in the rituals.
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