Bulgarians mark NY with traditional Surva festival

Villagers in western Bulgaria donning large, frightening masks depicting mythical creatures took to the streets Wednesday, in an age-old Orthodox New Year carnival believed to ward off evil spirits. The traditional Kukeri dancers banged drums and shook loud copper bells around bonfires in the villages of Svetlya and Kosharevo, some 60 km (37 miles) west of the capital Sofia.

One of the participants, Ivana, who's 18, said she hoped the annual Surva Festival would mark the "end of the bad days" of the coronavirus pandemic.

"Let all bad things pass and let 2021 be wonderful for everyone," she said. The ritual is believed to date back to pagan times and has been handed down from generation to generation.