The Lazaruvane
is a spring custom of unmarried women and maidens and it's done in the St. Lazar'a Day's and Palm Sunday.
A group of 6 up to 40 or even more girls ("lazarki"). There are multiple variations of the feast itself. Like the koledars (Bulgarian carol-singers) the lazarkas visit the homes with wishing of wealth and fertility the same way and that's why they're joyfully expected by the householders. In some villages the lazarki wear very rich head-decorations and a special holiday costumes. Lazarian games are sole, in pairs, or all lazarkas play a dance either in closed ring or in two short opposing columns. Depending on the local style at some places they dance vigorously and wildly while at other they prefer to go steady and slowly. At dusk all groups join at the square or at some meadow to play a common dance, which is joined by the bachelors too. In Thrace the lazarkas "bow Lazara" - a doll made of cloth-beam, which is clothed in a chemise and decorated with flowers and kerchiefs. After the end of the games they throw "Lazara" into the river. In rare occasions the games have dropped off the celebrations and the ritual is simply singing.
