The celebrations on the occasion of the 189th anniversary of the birth of the Apostle of Freedom Vasil Levski and the holiday of his hometown Karlovo began with a solemn liturgy in the church “St. Nicholas“, nova.bg reported.
The solemn liturgy was celebrated by clergy from the Plovdiv diocese as a prayerful commemoration for Vasil Levski. During the service, prayers were offered for the repose of his soul, as well as for the prosperity of Bulgaria and the Bulgarian people.
The service is the first and most solemn event in today's festive program. The Karlovo church “St. Nicholas“ has a special meaning for the family of the Apostle of Freedom, as the grave of his mother Gina Kuncheva is located in its yard.
After the liturgy, the official guests and citizens laid wreaths and flowers at the grave of Gina Kuncheva.
Servicemen from the 61st Stryamska Mechanized Brigade, who traditionally participate in the official ceremonies on July 18, also paid tribute.
A little later, attention turned to the square “20 July“. It was in front of the monument to Levski that all participants in the tourist hike “In the footsteps of the Apostle“ were welcomed. They covered the distance from the Central Balkans to Levski's hometown of Karlovo. The dozens of volunteers who walked the route were greeted with applause by hundreds of residents and guests of the city. The march is one of the most emblematic events in the program dedicated to the Apostle of Freedom, and annually gathers participants from all over the country.
The celebrations in Karlovo continue throughout the day with commemorative and cultural events, and the culmination will be the solemn evening dawn-inspection, which traditionally gathers thousands of residents and guests of Vasil Levski's hometown.
How the 189th anniversary of the birth of Vasil Levski is celebrated in the country
The 189th anniversary of the birth of the Apostle of Freedom Vasil Levski will be celebrated with the participation of representative military units in military rituals and city-wide celebrations throughout the country on July 17 and 18, 2026. The events are attended by servicemen from the Land Forces, Air Force, Navy, Joint Special Operations Command, Logistic Support Command, National Guards unit, cadets from the National Military University “Vasil Levski“ – Veliko Tarnovo.
Traditionally, the culmination of the celebrations is in the town of Karlovo, which also celebrates its holiday on July 18. Throughout the day in the hometown of the Apostle of Freedom there will be a festive program, and from 8:00 p.m. on the square “Vasil Levski“ a solemn rally (dawn) will be held with the participation of personnel from the 61st Stryamska Mechanized Brigade and a military brass band from the Land Forces.
On July 18, at 11:00 a.m. in Sofia, a military ritual was held by a representative formation from the National Guard as part of the solemn celebration of the anniversary of his birth in front of the monument to the Apostle of Freedom in Borisova Garden.
In Plovdiv, at 10:00 a.m. in front of the monument to Vasil Levski on the central alley of Bunardzhika, representative military formations from the Air Force and the SKSO, a military brass band, wreath-bearers, representatives of the local authorities, the Union of Reserve Officers and Sergeants and other patriotic organizations participated in the ceremony.
In Lovech, the anniversary will be marked with a commemorative ceremony and military ritual with servicemen from the Bulgarian Armed Forces. The ceremony will begin at 7:00 p.m. in front of the monument to the Apostle, and before that, a memorial service will be held in the church of the “Assumption of the Virgin“.
Servicemen will also participate in the celebration in front of the bust-monument of Vasil Levski in the Municipality of Kostenets on July 18, at 5:30 p.m.
In Varna, the event was at 10:00 a.m. in front of the monument to Vasil Levski in the Sea Garden. It includes a ceremonial laying of wreaths and flowers, a military ritual and a prayer service in memory of the national hero. The organizers are the Municipality of Varna with the assistance of the Naval Forces and the Holy Metropolis of Varna and Veliko Preslav.
The Municipality of Burgas is organizing a solemn ritual of paying military honors and laying wreaths and flowers in front of the monument to Vasil Levski in Primorsky Park, with the participation of the Navy.
Representative military formations from the Land Forces will also join the celebrations in Sliven, Stara Zagora, Haskovo, Pleven, Asenovgrad, Blagoevgrad, Gorna Oryahovitsa.
Yesterday there were solemn events in Veliko Tarnovo and Targovishte, where a representative part of the National University "Vasil Levski" - Veliko Tarnovo participated in the opening of the monument to Vasil Levski.