Date and public holiday status
St Marina’s Day, known in Bulgarian as Marininden, falls on 17 July every year. It is not a public holiday: it is a normal working day in Bulgaria. The date is a church feast as well as an occasion marked by folk customs.
It is also a name day for people called Marina, Marin, Marinela and related names: a day celebrating the saint whose name they share.
Saint Marina and her icon
The church honours Saint Marina of Antioch in Pisidia. She became a Christian as a young woman and refused to marry the local governor. According to her life story, she defeated the devil while in prison and died as a martyr during the reign of Emperor Diocletian.
Icons often show Saint Marina holding the devil by the hair and striking him with a hammer. This image represents the victory over evil described in her life story. She is venerated as a protector of health, particularly of women.
Folk beliefs and local gatherings
In the folk calendar, the day is known as Ognena Maria, meaning “Fiery Maria”, or Marina. Folk tradition regards her as the sister of Saint Elijah and as mistress of fire and snakes. These beliefs connect her feast with protection from fire, thunder and snakebites.
Traditionally, women refrain from working in the fields to protect the crops from fire and thunder. In some areas, round loaves of bread are distributed for good health and protection against snakebites.
Many chapels and public water fountains across Bulgaria bear Saint Marina’s name. Village gatherings and kurbani—communal meals involving a ritual animal offering—are held around them on her feast day.