Saint George embodies bravery, and therefore May 6 is the Day of Bravery and a holiday of the Bulgarian Army.
The celebrations for the holiday in Sofia this year will be held with the blessing of the water in front of the monument to the Unknown Soldier and a demonstration of air equipment.
The blessing of the water will be attended by both Patriarch Danail and President Iliana Yotova, who will receive the guard of honor and deliver a speech.
The blessing of the battle flags and the army and the solemn passing of formation will be combined in one ceremony this year. But the military promises that at the beginning of the solemn march over the grave in front of the Monument to the Unknown Soldier, a helicopter with the national flag will fly. And at the end of the ceremony - military transport, attack aircraft and fighters.
It is promised that in addition to the Su-25 and MiG-29, spectators will also see the new F-16.
Those wishing to attend the ritual of consecrating the battle flags in front of the Monument to the Unknown Soldier have access from 9 a.m. - through checkpoints organized on the streets "Rakovski", "Oborishte", "Paris" and "Shipka". They will be checked with metal detectors for the presence of weapons, sharp objects, fireworks and other pyrotechnics. Citizens carrying bulky luggage will not be allowed to the event. Access to persons in a visibly inadequate condition will also be restricted. A ban on the use of unmanned aerial systems (drones) in the security zone is being introduced from 08:00 to 15:00.
Officially, St. George's Day has been celebrated as the Day of Bravery and a holiday of the Bulgarian Army since January 9, 1880. The tradition of May 6 being the holiday was interrupted in 1946 but was revived in 1993.
The ceremonial changing of the guard in front of the presidency will take place at 12:00, and in the afternoon, over 1,200 young guardsmen will hold a procession in Sofia.
The Young Guards are from 29 detachments from all over the country and are in the capital as part of the first national review of the Youth Guard detachments.
In Sofia, festive events will be held at the National Museum of Military History, which is free to enter. There is an exhibition of paintings by Bulgarian artists who witnessed and chronicled the events at the height of World War I. There will also be the attraction "Exhibits Come to Life". Young and old can enter the cabins of iconic specimens from the outdoor exhibition – Mi-2, Mi-8 helicopters and the 2K 52 Frog "Luna-M" missile complex.
At 12:00, a tasting of the traditional soldier's bean soup prepared by a military chef will be offered, and with the help of the Logistic Support Command, visitors will be able to see a modern field kitchen and get acquainted with the daily life of Bulgarian servicemen.
The Representative Brass Band of the Land Forces will take care of the festive mood for all visitors from 15.30 to 16.30.