The idea of this book came as a result of my involvement as an author about religious practices in Bulgaria in the first two editions of The Worldmark Encyclopedia of Religious Practices in 2006 and 2015.
Religion is most often discussed in terms of beliefs, theology, and piety. The transcendental is usually taking over everyday life and less emphasis is put on the practical sides of religions. Eastern religions are more transcendental and looking into "the other world" than into the practicalities of the world "here and now". The same is definitely valid about the Bulgarian Orthodox church which is the major traditional religion in the Bulgarian lands. Religion is deeply social in its essence and it provides people with the possibility to live together and build social links among themselves....
