- Title: Pilgrims dance in mystic ritual at Bulgarian mountain
- Date: 19th August 2021
- Summary: THE UNIVERSAL WHITE BROTHERHOOD IN WHITE CLOTHES PERFORMING RITUAL DANCE
- Embargoed: 2nd September 2021 18:11
- Keywords: Bulgaria White Brotherhood cosmic energy dance mystic ritual pilgrims pilgrims dancing in Bulgaria
- Location: RILA MOUNTAIN, BULGARIA
- City: RILA MOUNTAIN, BULGARIA
- Country: Bulgaria
- Topics: Europe,Religion/Belief,Society/Social Issues,Editors' Choice
- Reuters ID: LVA002EQY4WMX
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Hundreds of followers of an esoteric Bulgarian society, known as the Universal White Brotherhood, gathered on Thursday (August 19) for an annual ritual to celebrate their divine new year.
The highlight of the celebration is "paneurhythmy," a dance-like ritual performed next to a glacial lake in the Bulgarian Rila Mountains, aimed to help devotees to link with cosmic energy.
Over 1,500 pilgrims moved gracefully in circles on a large meadow near Kidney lake, 2,280 metres (7,480 feet) above sea level and some 90 km (56 miles) south of capital Sofia.
They were dressed in white clothing and accompanied by violins and a choir.
Violin player and follower of the Universal White Brotherhood, Joana Strateva, said that "great powers and energies" gather on the meadow on August 19.
Every year devotees of the society, which combines a form of Christianity with Indian mysticism, celebrate the new year, which lasts for three days.
The society was set up by Bulgarian spiritual teacher Peter Deunov in the 1920s and its name does not refer to ethnicity or race but to light and purity of the soul and the belief that all people can live in harmony and love, followers say.
(Production: Spasiyana Sergieva, Stoyan Nenov, Karolina Bohacova) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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