The tradition of welcoming the sunrise on the first of July gathered thousands of people in different places in the country this year, NOVA reported.
July Morning symbolizes dissatisfaction and the desire for personal freedom. July Morning or simply “Julay” (named after the famous song by “Uriah Heep“ from 1971 “July Morning“) is the most traditional hippie holiday in Bulgaria, which originated in the mid-1980s. “Julay” in English means “July“ and that is where “July Morning“ comes from. Although the tradition is associated with the hippie movement in America, it still exists in Bulgaria today.
Every June 30th to July 1st, large groups of people gather along the Black Sea coast and elsewhere in the country to welcome the sun rising over the sea. In this way, they believe they are purifying themselves before it, without any connection to pagan or religious rituals.
„Julaya” is unique to Bulgaria due to the nature of its origin and is not observed in other European countries. It is said that it began as a protest against communist rule, expressed in the symbolism of the song of the same name by Uriah Heep.