On May 24, Bulgaria celebrated the day of Saints Cyril and Methodius with grand festivities, marking both a religious and national holiday—Bulgarian Literacy and Culture Day. The event commemorates the contributions of the saints to Slavic culture and language.

A solemn service was held at the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sofia, led by Metropolitan Gregory of Vratsa, as reported by the Bulgarian Church's official site. After the liturgy, Metropolitan Gregory, accompanied by bishops, clergy, the Patriarchal Cathedral choir, and numerous faithful, led a procession to the National Library named after Saints Cyril and Methodius. There, he conducted a prayer service on the square in front of the library. The celebrations saw the participation of Bulgarian President Rumen Radev, Sofia Mayor Vasil Terziev, politicians, public figures, state officials, educators, scientists, cultural figures, and many believers.

At the conclusion of the procession, Metropolitan Gregory addressed the gathered crowd with a pastoral message. He emphasized the importance of the day for educators and scholars, stating, "On this day, our thoughts and prayers are especially with all the tireless workers in the fields of education, science, literature, and culture. They continue the apostolic labor of our first teachers, the wise Constantine-Cyril the Philosopher and Methodius of Thessalonica, with apostolic zeal, devotion, and self-sacrifice, despite the challenges accompanying their service. The work of enlightenment is sacred and holy. It is a high honor and privilege, and its fruits are an enduring wealth for our entire nation, ensuring its survival through the ages."

Festive services and processions were held in many cities across Bulgaria, including Plovdiv, Svishtov, Pazardzhik, and others. In the city of Silistra on the Danube, the celebration began with the blessing of flags from 15 schools by clergy of the Dorostol Diocese of the Bulgarian Church. According to the news agency BTA, this year's flag blessing ceremony was conducted for the first time. The oldest school flag in Silistra belongs to the local Saint Clement of Ohrid Natural-Mathematical High School and dates back to 1941.

Photo: Bulgarian Orthodox Church / bg-patriarshia.bg