Folk dancing and dyed eggs as Bulgaria's Ruse celebrates Easter

People of all ages gathered on Liberation Square in Ruse on Sunday to celebrate the Resurrection of Christ together, a unique joint celebration, as this year's Easter coincided for both Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox faiths.

The majority of Bulgarians identify as Eastern Orthodox, while Roman Catholicism is a minority religion. The latter usually celebrate Easter a few days before Orthodox Christians, however every so often, the dates coincide. For the eigth time since 2001, Christians from both groups have come together.

Hundreds of dancers and citizens took part in a folk line dance performed in circles and chains.

One of the dancers explained the importance of keeping traditions alive. "Bulgarian spirit, a very important thing, which is our traditions, which is very important to observe every time," he told Euronews.

A mother who attended the celebration in Liberation Square with her daughter told Euronews "the atmosphere of this holiday is to be with your family, to dye eggs, to make Kozunatsi," which is a traditional sweet bread baked for the occasion.

As per Christian Orthodox tradition, families dye eggs on Holy Thursday. The first egg must be dyed red, symbolising the blood of Christ.

In the square, children and adults holding the coloured eggs line up in preparation of the playful egg fight, where they will take turns tapping their eggs against each other. Whoever ends with the last unbroken egg is the winner, and is expected to have a year of good fortune and health.