SOFIA – Millions of Bulgarians and Romanians on Friday observed a centuries-old regional custom, handing out spring charms to loved ones as they do every March 1.
The charms, called “Martenitsi” — from the Bulgarian word for March — in their simplest form are red-and-white woolen tassels that symbolize love, health and fertility. North of the Danube, Romanians call them Martisor.
The woolen charms were pinned to clothing, dangled from wrists, tied to front gates and attached to the collars of cats and dogs. The white color symbolizes male strength and longevity, while the red represents the female spirit and is associated with health, blood and fertility.
Many struggling with economic hardships spent weeks creating the tiny, intricate trinkets before selling them on the street in hopes of improving their meager incomes. The charms are credited with warding off disease, the evil eye and bad luck, ensuring the fertility of livestock and a plentiful harvest. Unmarried women put Martenitsi under a big stone for good luck in marriage.
The trinkets in Bulgaria are worn until March 22, unless a person sees a stork or spring blossom — then it is tied to the branch of a tree to make a wish.