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History and religion

Muslims welcome Ramadan Bayram 

According to the 2021 census, almost 11% of the Bulgarian population, or about 639 000 people, identify themselves as Muslims, with the Turkish population alone accounting for 508 378 people. Most of the Muslim population lives in north-eastern Bulgaria..

published on 4/10/24 6:30 AM
The town of Hisarya

The ancient town of Hisarya hosts the first festival of antiquity Diocletianopolis

From April 5 to 7, the town of Hisarya in the Plovdiv region will host the first festival of antiquity "Diocletianopolis - Crossroads of Time", the municipality announced. The aim of the festival is to show what life was like in ancient Diocletianopolis..

published on 4/5/24 8:20 AM
Metropolitan Hilarion of Makariopolis (1812-1875).

164 years ago in Constantinople the Bulgarian Church proclaimed  its independence

On 3 April 1860, during the solemn Easter service in the Bulgarian St Stephen's Church in Istanbul, Metropolitan Hilarion of Makariopolis intentionally did not mention the name of the Ecumenical Greek Patriarch . Instead of the name of Patriarch Cyril..

published on 4/3/24 11:19 AM

Catholics, Armenians and Protestants celebrate the Resurrection of Christ

Catholics in Bulgaria and around the world celebrate the Resurrection of Christ. The largest Catholic communities live in the Plovdiv and Svishtov regions.  At midnight on Sunday 31 March, the Catholic churches in Bulgaria were filled with the..

published on 3/31/24 10:33 AM
The St. Nicholas church in Veliko Tarnovo

St. Nicholas church in Veliko Tarnovo finally given monument of culture status

It has taken the Ministry of Culture almost a year and a half to declare the St. Nicholas church in Veliko Tarnovo, built by Kolyo Ficheto, a monument of national significance, BNR’s correspondent in Veliko Tarnovo Zdravka Maslyankova reports...

published on 3/29/24 7:11 PM

Exhibition highlights Bulgaria's 20 years in NATO

An exhibition marking the 20th anniversary of Bulgaria's NATO membership will open on 28 March at the National Museum of Military History in Sofia. The exhibition is entitled "The Bulgarian Army - 20 years of being part of NATO" and includes original..

published on 3/28/24 8:10 AM

In Bulgaria 26 March is Thrace Day

26 March is Thrace Day – the date was included in the official Bulgarian calendar in 2006, but has been celebrated long before that. On this day in 1913 the Bulgarian army conquered the Edirne fortress, until then deemed “impregnable”. The defeat..

updated on 3/26/24 2:03 PM

The Annunciation is the Christian Mother's Day

Every year, on March 25, the Bulgarian Church celebrates one of its brightest holidays - the Day of the Annunciation. Marked by the good news of the immaculate conception, it personifies God's infinite mercy to people and especially to the woman - a..

published on 3/25/24 5:10 AM
Metropolitan Gregory of Vratsa

Metropolitan Gregory of Vratsa was elected as temporary head of the Holy Synod

Fifty-four-year-old Metropolitan Gregory of Vratsa was unanimously elected temporary head of the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. Metropolitan Gregory will be responsible for organizing the election of a new patriarch within the next 4..

published on 3/19/24 11:39 AM

Great Lent begins

Today is the first day of the longest fasting period in Orthodox Christian tradition. Strict fasting is observed during the first and last week, and apart from animal and dairy foods, which are excluded during the entire fasting period, vegetable fats..

published on 3/18/24 9:17 AM