[CBC뉴스] 수십 명의 불가리아 남성들이 수요일 기독교 축제일인 에피파니를 기념하기 위해 툰차 강의 차가운 물에서 춤을 추고 노래를 불렀다.
Dozens of Bulgarian men danced and sang in the cold waters of the Tundzha river in the central Bulgarian town of Kalofer on Wednesday to mark the Christian holiday of Epiphany, ignoring the restrictions imposed to contain the spread of the coronavirus.
Orthodox priests cast a crucifix into the waters of a lake or river, and it is believed that the person who retrieves it will be freed from evil spirits and will be healthy through the year.
Despite calls from the authorities to cancel the celebration, about 70 men from Kalofer took part of the ritual, while dozens gathered along the river banks to watch it.
"This is an important event for the community... We tried to limit the access, but we could not. Still we see here about one-fifth, one-sixth of the people who usually come," said Kalofer Mayor Rumen Stoyanov.
After the crucifix was recovered, the men put their arms around each other's shoulders, sang and danced in a circle to music played on drums and bagpipes.
The ritual in Kalofer sparked heated debates on social networks, where some admired the tradition while others called for the men and the town to be fined for breaking the anti-pandemic rules.
[영상=로이터ㅣCBC뉴스]
CBC뉴스ㅣCBCNEWS 권오성 기자 press@cbci.co.kr
