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Lazarus Day and Day of the Flowers are one of the most beautiful and celebrated holidays in Bulgaria. They are celebrated the weekend before Easter. These are the most colorful and beautiful maiden holidays that symbolize the rebirth of nature, leaving of cold winter days, love and flowers. Girls have major role in these festivities (unlike Christmas and Survakane, which are typically male holidays). Lazarus Day, "Lazaritsa" or "Lazar's Saturday" is always celebrated on the Saturday before Flowers Day. For girls it's rite of "initiation" in girlhood for "zamomyavane" - so they come to the group of big girls and are ready to start a family. Once it was thought that a girl who has not taken part in the Lazaruvane custom can not marry. Usually on this day in the past young men are making proposals for marriage to their chosen one.

 This year in Byala Slatina Municipality, Veliko Tarnovo and Pavlikeni where Center "Amalipe" has established centers for community development and local clubs for development,  these two traditional holiday were marked with joy, festivity and diversity. The lazarki - young girls, dressed in festive clothes and flower wreaths on their heads, carrying baskets decorated with greenery collection of gifts. They walked in the houses with songs, wishing health, fertility, happiness, prosperity and fulfillment of the deepest hopes of everyone in the family, and in turn hosts give them nuts, eggs, money, fruit and small gifts.

It is believed that the custom Lazaruvane brings economic prosperity and wellbeing of the whole village. So the girls, even the very young ones are met with high respect by all residents. Besides the traditional collection of eggs for the upcoming Easter and traditional singing competitions for girls in the village of Ledenik , Veliko Tarnovo Municipality was organized a discussion on "Say 'no' to early marriages and" Yes "to education! «.

 Guests at the celebration of Lazarus Day and Flowers Day in the village of Ledenik were Sylvia Boyanova and Angel Angelov from Center "Amalipe". During the discussion, the mayor Ivan Stoyanov made the following appeal to young people: "Traditions are something that should be preserved. They are the bridge between generations! But tradition should not stop development but to encourage it. The world is changing and if you - our children, want to be competitive in the labor market, it is necessary to get education. So first learn, then marry! «

 The other spring holiday –Flowers Day was also celebrated. Flowers Day is still considered the most colorful festival of the year and is a natural extension of Lazarus Day. Willow branches are consecrated on this day. It is believed that consecrated willow protects  from evil, and so it should be put on the home icon, and a willow wreath should hang on the door that stand until next year. Flowers Day is also called Flower Sunday,  Vaya,  Kuklenden.

Girls participating in lazaruvane gather at the river (well or spring), each has its wreath and pre-ritual kneading bread that resembles a human figure (therefore called "doll") and execute the "kumichene" custom.  Pieces of bread and the wreaths are arranged on the table and placed downstream. Maid whose wreath came first, is chosen for a "bride's maid" - believed that she would marry first and leads the maiden dance to her house.

 So Lazarus Day and Flowers Day were celebrated with much singing, dancing and youthful enthusiasm.