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autumn traditions: november: Saint Katerina - 24 november

      In the region of Eastern Thracia this day is celebrated as The Mouse day (Mshinden), and in the Plovdiv region there is a ritual that symbolizes protection from measles: early in the morning the woman in the house prepares a dough, cuts a little piece of it and makes a small bun out of it. When she has baked it, she spreads some honey or treacle on it and then hangs it over the door. From the rest of the dough she bakes a loaf of bread, on which they also spread some honey. They wrap the bread in a white cloth and each member of the family takes a small bit of it saying: "May Saint Katerina help us". Then they give pieces from the rest of the bread to the passers-by. It is believed that in houses where such bread has been prepared no one will get measles.

      Church Holiday: Ekaterina The Martyr - a maid from an Alexandrian Royal family. She opposes a pagan priest in a dispute and even though she wins it she is sentenced to death and severely/brutally murdered.