What does the Annunciation represent and what customs are associated with this important day in the Orthodox calendar?

On March 25, 2026, Orthodox and Catholic believers celebrate the Annunciation, the day when the Archangel Gabriel announced to the Virgin Mary that she would give birth to the Savior Christ. This celebration, also known as Blagoveștenie, coincides with the first lifting of the fish ban during Lent. Popular traditions say that on the Annunciation, the tongues of singing birds, especially the cuckoo, are loosened, and they begin to sing until Sânziene. People are encouraged to place bread and salt on their doorstep to feed the angels and to avoid quarrels, believing that those who argue on this day will have troubles all year long. Rituals such as threatening the trees with an axe for abundant fruits and the Night of Fires in Maramureș are also part of the traditions of this day. Households that taste fish on the Annunciation will feel like fish in water throughout the year.