Bulgarian traditions include a number of holidays during the month of July. From July 16th to the 18th The Romani celebrate Goreshtnitsi or “the dog days,” named so because they’re usually the hottest days of summer. While the origins of these feast days are pagan, The orthodox calendar also celebrates these holidays. According to the calendar, July 15th is Churuta, the 16th is Pyrliga, and the 17th is Marina.
The Romani believe that during these days no-one should work in the fields, and women, who traditionally keep the household and cook food, shouldn’t bake bread to prevent destructive fires and hail storms from raining down from the sky. The Dog Days are also used to predict the weather for the next winter season. If the all three days are hot and sunny, the Romani predict that the next winter will be a mild one. After the three day break from work, the Romani renew the fires in their homes and resume their daily tasks.