The life of Saint Kyriaki
The Orthodox Church honours Saint Kyriaki, known in Bulgarian as Saint Nedelya, on 7 July every year. She was born into a Christian family in Asia Minor. Her parents had prayed for a child for a long time, and she was named for Sunday, the day of her birth.
During the persecution under Emperor Diocletian, she refused to renounce her Christian faith. She died as a martyr at the end of the third century.
Veneration in Bulgaria
Saint Nedelya is especially venerated in Bulgaria. The cathedral church in central Sofia bears her name and also houses the relics of the holy king Stefan Milutin.
Many village churches and chapels are named after her as well. They celebrate their patron saint’s feast on 7 July, linking the annual church observance with the saint to whom each church or chapel is dedicated.
Name days and working-day status
Saint Kyriaki’s Day is not a public holiday: it is a normal working day in Bulgaria.
It is also a name day, a celebration for people whose names are associated with the saint. Those celebrating include Nedelya, Nedyalka, Nedko, Nedelcho, Neda, Kiriyak, Kiriyana and people with related names.
Saint Nedelya in folk belief
In Bulgarian folklore, Saint Nedelya personifies the day of rest. Folk legends describe her as punishing those who work on Sunday and protecting those who honour rest and prayer.
Songs and traditional stories often portray her as wounded by people’s disrespectful labour. The belief that Sunday should be free from work is one of Bulgaria’s most enduring folk traditions.