WHEN TO COME TO MACEDONIA?

Vevchani Carnival

ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS VILLAGE FESTIVALS HELD IN THE BALKANS IS THE VEVČANI CARNIVAL (MACEDONIAN: ВЕВЧАНСКИ КАРНЕВАЛ, VEVČANSKI KARNEVAL). IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE CUSTOM IS OVER 1,400 YEARS OLD. IT IS BASED ON OLD PAGAN BELIEFS AND RITUALS. ESSENTIALLY THE CARNIVAL IS THE RITUAL OF CALLING AFTER SAINT BASIL THE GREAT, WHICH COINCIDES WITH THE TWELVE DAYS OF ORTHODOX CHRISTMAS AND THE ORTHODOX NEW YEAR. THE FESTIVITY IS HELD ON THE 13TH AND 14TH OF JANUARY EVERY YEAR AND IS DEDICATED TO SAINT BASIL THE GREAT. THE CARNIVAL WITNESSES THE PASSING OF THE OLD YEAR AND THE COMING OF THE NEW ONE. THE PARTICIPANTS OF THE CARNIVAL ARE KNOWN AS VASILIČARI (MACEDONIAN: ВАСИЛИЧАРИ). IN 1993 THE CARNIVAL AND THE VILLAGE OF VEVČANI OFFICIALLY BECAME APART OF THE WORLD FEDERATION OF CARNIVAL CITIES. IN RECENT YEARS A SPECIAL "CARNIVAL PASSPORT" HAS BEEN ISSUED AT THE CARNIVAL.