It was a disappointing start today when Katie got a
message from the mission home in Bulgaria that we wouldn’t be hearing
from Christian until Wednesday. What’s up with that? So, I did a
little digging and here is what I have discovered.
He and the rest of Bulgaria are taking off today and
tomorrow to celebrate St George, his victory over the dragon, and all
the other wonderful things he may have accomplished so long ago.
According to Wikipedia:
St George’s Day (Гергьовден, Gergyovden) is possibly the most celebrated
name day in Bulgaria. It is a
public holiday that takes place on 6 May each year. A common ritual is to prepare and eat a whole
lamb, which is an ancient practice possibly related to
Slavic pagan sacrificial traditions and the fact that St George is the
patron saint
of shepherds. It is also believed to be a magical day when all evil
spells can be broken. It was believed that
the saint helps the crops to grow and blesses the morning dew, so early
in the morning they walked in the pastures and meadows and collected
dew, washed their face, hands and feet in it for good luck and even in
some rural parts of Bulgaria it was a custom
to roll in it naked.
So, since Elder Maxwell is serving in rural Bulgaria
now, we just have to assume that he and his companion today are getting
ready to roll in the dew tomorrow and soak up all that good luck for the
coming year. Then they can go visit some
folks and eat a whole lamb with them. Right?! : )
Happy St George’s Day Everyone!
Elden
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