Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2024 All Rights Reserved

Water blessing of the battle flags to take place across Bulgaria on Epiphany

Photo: BTA

A traditional water blessing of the battle flags and holy flags of the Bulgarian Army will be held on January 6 in all the country's garrisons. The ceremonial ritual in Sofia will take place at 11:00 a.m. in front of the Unknown Warrior Monument in the presence of Defense Minister Todor Tagarev.

For the first time, a water blessing ceremony of the banners was celebrated during the time of Tsar Simeon I before the battle of Acheloi in 917. Until the fall of Bulgaria under the Ottoman rule, a water blessing of the flags was performed before every battle fought by the Bulgarian army. After the Liberation in 1878, the tradition was restored by the first military minister of the Principality of Bulgaria, Piotr Dmitrievich Parensov, and continued until 1946, according to the Ministry of Defense. 

After the collapse of the Communist rule, the ritual was restored in 1993. 

Since then, every year on Epiphany, in all garrisons, the highest representative of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church in the diocese reads a prayer for health and success, together with the consecration of the battle flags.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Vice President Iotova presents replica of a Thracian phial to the mayor of Los Angeles

Vice President Iliana Iotova met with Mayor of Los Angeles Karen Bass. Iotova paid a visit to the American city on the occasion of the opening of the exhibition "Ancient Thrace and the Classical World. Treasures from Bulgaria, Romania..

published on 11/5/24 11:26 AM
Vesna Bendevska

The rulers in Skopje continue to repress the Bulgarians in Bitola

The Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of North Macedonia, Vesna Bendevska, has reported to the Prosecutor's Office in Bitola that the Bulgarian cultural club "Ivan Mihailov" in the city continues to function, despite its deletion from..

published on 11/5/24 10:47 AM

Four of the MPO clubs met in Indianapolis

A meeting of representatives from four clubs of the Macedonian Patriotic Organization (MPO) in the USA and Canada, took place in Indianapolis. The meeting included the clubs of "Pirin" (Chicago), "Bistrica" (Cincinnati), "Todor..

published on 11/5/24 9:38 AM