About the name Atanas
Etymology & meaning
Atanas derives from the Greek Ἀθανάσιος (Athanasios), from ἀθάνατος — "immortal". It is among the oldest Christian names and has produced a wide family of Bulgarian forms: Атанас, Наско, Нако, Начо and Танас, with the feminine Атанаска, Наска and Таня.
History & patron saint
The patron is Saint Athanasius the Great — 4th-century archbishop of Alexandria and one of the fiercest defenders of Nicene Orthodoxy against Arianism. In the Bulgarian folk calendar, however, Atanasovden carries a second and entirely untheological layer: the day marks midwinter, and the saint is imagined as a young man who throws off his sheepskin coat and rides out on a white horse to look for summer — "Saint Athanas on a white horse".
Traditions & customs
Winter Atanasovden is a day for health: ritual bread is kneaded and a cockerel or hen prepared, with the meat shared among neighbours. In some regions the day is regarded as the feast of blacksmiths and of healers. Celebrants receive guests at a warm winter table, and as the feast falls shortly after Ivanovden, the visits tend to run one into the next.
Popularity & notable bearers
Atanas is a traditional Bulgarian name with an enduring presence, particularly strong in the southern and south-western regions. Notable bearers include the financier and politician Atanas Burov. The surname Atanasov is among the country's most widespread.
Suitable gifts
As the day falls in deep winter, warm gifts are the most practical — a scarf, gloves, woollen socks. A bottle of rakia for the table and an icon of Saint Athanasius suit as well.