Bulgarian Muslim bride Kimile Avdinova has make-up applied to her face during her wedding ceremony in the village of Ribnovo, in the Rhodope Mountains, Bulgaria, January 2, 2022. The remote mountain village of Ribnovo in southwest Bulgaria has kept its traditional winter marriage ceremony alive despite decades of Communist persecution, followed by poverty that forced many men to seek work abroad. The wedding ritual was resurrected with vigour among the Pomaks - Slavs who converted to Islam under Ottoman rule. The highlight of the ceremony is the painting of the bride's face, where in a private rite open only to female in-laws, her face is covered in thick, chalky white paint and decorated with colourful sequins. Picture taken January 2, 2022. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov 

Bulgarian Muslim bride Kimile Avdinova has makeup applied to her face during her wedding ceremony in the village of Ribnovo, in the Rhodope Mountains, Bulgaria, January 2, 2022. The remote mountain village of Ribnovo in southwest Bulgaria has kept its traditional winter marriage ceremony alive despite decades of Communist persecution, followed by poverty that forced many men to seek work abroad. The wedding ritual was resurrected with vigour among the Pomaks - Slavs who converted to Islam under Ottoman rule. The highlight of the ceremony is the painting of the bride's face, where in a private rite open only to female in-laws, her face is covered in thick, chalky white paint and decorated with colourful sequins. Picture taken January 2, 2022. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY 

Bulgarian Muslim bride Kimile Avdinova and her groom Kadri Kichukov welcome guests during their wedding ceremony in the village of Ribnovo, in the Rhodope Mountains, Bulgaria, January 2, 2022. The remote mountain village of Ribnovo in southwest Bulgaria has kept its traditional winter marriage ceremony alive despite decades of Communist persecution, followed by poverty that forced many men to seek work abroad. The wedding ritual was resurrected with vigour among the Pomaks - Slavs who converted to Islam under Ottoman rule. The highlight of the ceremony is the painting of the bride's face, where in a private rite open only to female in-laws, her face is covered in thick, chalky white paint and decorated with colourful sequins. Picture taken January 2, 2022. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov 

Bulgarian Muslim bride Kimile Avdinova dances during her wedding ceremony in the village of Ribnovo, in the Rhodope Mountains, Bulgaria, January 2, 2022. The remote mountain village of Ribnovo in southwest Bulgaria has kept its traditional winter marriage ceremony alive despite decades of Communist persecution, followed by poverty that forced many men to seek work abroad. The wedding ritual was resurrected with vigour among the Pomaks - Slavs who converted to Islam under Ottoman rule. The highlight of the ceremony is the painting of the bride's face, where in a private rite open only to female in-laws, her face is covered in thick, chalky white paint and decorated with colourful sequins. Picture taken January 2, 2022. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov 

Bulgarian Muslim bride Kimile Avdinova dances next to her groom Kadri Kichukov during their wedding ceremony in the village of Ribnovo, in the Rhodope Mountains, Bulgaria, January 2, 2022. The remote mountain village of Ribnovo in southwest Bulgaria has kept its traditional winter marriage ceremony alive despite decades of Communist persecution, followed by poverty that forced many men to seek work abroad. The wedding ritual was resurrected with vigour among the Pomaks - Slavs who converted to Islam under Ottoman rule. The highlight of the ceremony is the painting of the bride's face, where in a private rite open only to female in-laws, her face is covered in thick, chalky white paint and decorated with colourful sequins. Picture taken January 2, 2022. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov 

Bulgarian Muslim women look at the dowry for the wedding ceremony of Kimile Avdinova and her groom Kadri Kichukov in the village of Ribnovo, in the Rhodope Mountains, Bulgaria, January 2, 2022. The remote mountain village of Ribnovo in southwest Bulgaria has kept its traditional winter marriage ceremony alive despite decades of Communist persecution, followed by poverty that forced many men to seek work abroad. The wedding ritual was resurrected with vigour among the Pomaks - Slavs who converted to Islam under Ottoman rule. The highlight of the ceremony is the painting of the bride's face, where in a private rite open only to female in-laws, her face is covered in thick, chalky white paint and decorated with colourful sequins. Picture taken January 2, 2022. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov 

Bulgarian Muslim bride Kimile Avdinova and her groom Kadri Kichukov walk outside her house during their wedding ceremony in the village of Ribnovo, in the Rhodope Mountains, Bulgaria, January 2, 2022. The remote mountain village of Ribnovo in southwest Bulgaria has kept its traditional winter marriage ceremony alive despite decades of Communist persecution, followed by poverty that forced many men to seek work abroad. The wedding ritual was resurrected with vigour among the Pomaks - Slavs who converted to Islam under Ottoman rule. The highlight of the ceremony is the painting of the bride's face, where in a private rite open only to female in-laws, her face is covered in thick, chalky white paint and decorated with colourful sequins. Picture taken January 2, 2022. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov 

Bulgarian Muslim women look at the dowry for the wedding ceremony of Kimile Avdinova and her groom Kadri Kichukov in the village of Ribnovo, in the Rhodope Mountains, Bulgaria, January 2, 2022. The remote mountain village of Ribnovo in southwest Bulgaria has kept its traditional winter marriage ceremony alive despite decades of Communist persecution, followed by poverty that forced many men to seek work abroad. The wedding ritual was resurrected with vigour among the Pomaks - Slavs who converted to Islam under Ottoman rule. The highlight of the ceremony is the painting of the bride's face, where in a private rite open only to female in-laws, her face is covered in thick, chalky white paint and decorated with colourful sequins. Picture taken January 2, 2022. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov 

Bulgarian Muslim women watch as guests dance at the wedding ceremony of Kimile Avdinova and her groom Kadri Kichukov in the village of Ribnovo, in the Rhodope Mountains, Bulgaria, January 2, 2022. The remote mountain village of Ribnovo in southwest Bulgaria has kept its traditional winter marriage ceremony alive despite decades of Communist persecution, followed by poverty that forced many men to seek work abroad. The wedding ritual was resurrected with vigour among the Pomaks - Slavs who converted to Islam under Ottoman rule. The highlight of the ceremony is the painting of the bride's face, where in a private rite open only to female in-laws, her face is covered in thick, chalky white paint and decorated with colourful sequins. Picture taken January 2, 2022. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov 

Bulgarian Muslim bride Kimile Avdinova has make-up applied to her face during her wedding ceremony in the village of Ribnovo, in the Rhodope Mountains, Bulgaria, January 2, 2022. The remote mountain village of Ribnovo in southwest Bulgaria has kept its traditional winter marriage ceremony alive despite decades of Communist persecution, followed by poverty that forced many men to seek work abroad. The wedding ritual was resurrected with vigour among the Pomaks - Slavs who converted to Islam under Ottoman rule. The highlight of the ceremony is the painting of the bride's face, where in a private rite open only to female in-laws, her face is covered in thick, chalky white paint and decorated with colourful sequins. Picture taken January 2, 2022. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov 

Bulgarian Muslim bride Kimile Avdinova and her groom Kadri Kichukov pose in front of their dowry during their wedding ceremony in the village of Ribnovo, in the Rhodope Mountains, Bulgaria, January 2, 2022. The remote mountain village of Ribnovo in southwest Bulgaria has kept its traditional winter marriage ceremony alive despite decades of Communist persecution, followed by poverty that forced many men to seek work abroad. The wedding ritual was resurrected with vigour among the Pomaks - Slavs who converted to Islam under Ottoman rule. The highlight of the ceremony is the painting of the bride's face, where in a private rite open only to female in-laws, her face is covered in thick, chalky white paint and decorated with colourful sequins. Picture taken January 2, 2022. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov 

Bulgarian Muslim bride Kimile Avdinova has make-up applied to her face during her wedding ceremony in the village of Ribnovo, in the Rhodope Mountains, Bulgaria, January 2, 2022. The remote mountain village of Ribnovo in southwest Bulgaria has kept its traditional winter marriage ceremony alive despite decades of Communist persecution, followed by poverty that forced many men to seek work abroad. The wedding ritual was resurrected with vigour among the Pomaks - Slavs who converted to Islam under Ottoman rule. The highlight of the ceremony is the painting of the bride's face, where in a private rite open only to female in-laws, her face is covered in thick, chalky white paint and decorated with colourful sequins. Picture taken January 2, 2022. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov