
Bulgarians carry bells on their waists as they dance around a bonfire during their “Kukeri” ritual in the town of Batanovtsi, some 35 km ( 22 miles) south from the capital Sofia, on late Monday, Jan. 13, 2014. “Kukeri” is a pagan Bulgarian masked ritual of Thracian origins, performed between Christmas and Lent by costumed men in sheepskin garments, bells and masks, who walk around and dance to scare away the evil spirits, in hope to provide a good harvest, health, fertility, and happiness. (AP Photo/Valentina Petrova) ORG XMIT: VP107