Horse Easter 2022: a celebration of the Bulgarians of Târgoviște in Romania

A video report by Columna TV captures the spirit of the tradition with which the inhabitants of the Matei Voievod neighborhood celebrate the beginning of spring and bear witness to their presence in the area since the mid-nineteenth century

The Bulgarians of Targovishte in Romania celebrated their traditional spring festival, Horse Easter (Tudorița), on 12 March 2022. The community, which has lived in the Matej Vojvodo district of Targovishte since the mid-19th century, annually honours its Bulgarian traditions and the animal on which Bulgarian farmers in Romania have always relied, the horse. To this end, horse races are organised. Special bread bearing the auspicious name ‘koncheta’ is prepared and eaten by the farmers and their horses. And all this was dressed in the spirit of Orthodoxy and the religiosity of the Bulgarians of Targovishte.

In 2022, the event contained a parade of horses and a competition for their beauty and skills, and at the same time a performance of dance ensembles of Bulgarian children in folk costumes. Organisers said guests came from many towns and villages in Romania and the event was the only one of its kind in the country.

“The Bridge of Friendship” was granted the right to translate a video report of the event on the local Columna TV. The video with English subtitles can be viewed here:

Photo: The Horse Easter unites Romanians and Bulgarians (source: YouTube)

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About Author

Vladimir Mitev

Vladimir Mitev is a Bulgarian Romanian-speaking journalist. He has interacted with many Bulgarian and Romanian media outlets, including Bulgarian National Radio, Mediapool, all major Bulgarian television stations, Darik Radio, and more (Bulgaria); Radio Romania, The Liberal Community 1848, all the major Romanian television stations; DoR; Libertatea; PressHub; and others (Romania); The Analysis, Acorn Radio (USA); Open Democracy (UK); voxEurop (France); the Observatory for the Balkans and the Caucasus; The Other News (Italy); The Institute for Central Europe (Poland); Argument (Czechia); Merce (Hungary); Bilten (Croatia); and Agora (the Republic of Moldova).
He promotes the idea of non-hegemonic, mutually empowering interactions in Central and Southeastern Europe that could contribute to the formation of a dynamic regional identity and connect citizens to the global community.

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