The Bulgarian Navy was established on August 12, 1879. Although it was established on this date, the Bulgarian Navy celebrated its first holiday much later - in 1914, on November 21 - the date on which the torpedo boat detachment defeated the Turkish cruiser “Hamidie” in a sea battle in 1912.
In the following year, 1915, the fleet organized the holiday outside its framework with the participation of the Varna public, but the date was already August 2 - the accession of Tsar Ferdinand to the throne.
In the following years, along with November 21, St. Nicholas Day was celebrated as a maritime holiday, after 1944 and until 1956, only the Day of the Soviet Navy was celebrated - July 31. It was only in 1956 that, by decree of the Presidium of the National Assembly No. 273 and order of the Minister of Defense No. 33 (both documents dated August 9), the date of its creation was determined as the holiday of the Bulgarian Navy - August 12, with the specification that it should be celebrated on the second Sunday of the month.