President Rumen Radev and Vice President Iliyana Yotova will take part in the celebration of Sofia's holiday at 11:30 a.m. on the "St. Alexander Nevsky" square, the press office of the head of state announced, BTA reported.
As part of the event, the president will receive the guard of honor, after which His Holiness the Bulgarian Patriarch Daniil will perform a solemn water blessing, and a ritual of raising the Bulgarian national flag will be performed, the presidency added.
On September 17, the Orthodox Church honors the holy great martyrs Hope, Faith, Love and their mother Sophia. On that day, the city, which took the name of the church “Sveta Sofia” – The wisdom of God is celebrating its holiday, reported the Metropolitan Municipality.
In the presence of the Mayor of Sofia, Vasil Terziev, the solemn meeting of the Sofia Municipal Council will be held at 10:00 a.m., at which eminent persons will be awarded the title of honorary citizen of Sofia - “Honorary Badge of the Sofia Municipality” and “Badge of Sofia”.
Vasil Terziev will deliver a speech after the solemn ceremony of raising the city's flag, which will take place in front of the basilica “Saint Sophia”.
In the Sofia City Art Gallery, the awards of the Sofia Municipality for outstanding achievements in the field of culture will be presented.
Stolichians and guests of the city will be able to visit the Regional History Museum on "Banski" square for free. No. 1, the ancient cultural and communication complex "Serdika", the archaeological level of the temple "Saint Sophia", the archaeological park "West Gate of Serdika", the tomb of Prince Alexander I, the exposition for national reconciliation, the Triangular Tower of Serdika, the Sofia city art gallery and its affiliates: "Dechko Uzunov" museum gallery; and "Vaska Emanuilova" gallery.
In the park "Zaimov" from 17:30 a festive dance performance will be held.
On stage at "Alabin" Street No. 39 from 19:00 the festival "New Kids from the Block" will take place. with a concert and fire show.
In the Archaeological Park "West Gate of Serdika" at 8:30 p.m., the visual dance performance "Boundaries of Reality" will be presented. at "Derrida Dance Center".
The events that the Metropolitan Municipality, regional administrations, municipal cultural institutes and partner organizations dedicate to Sofia Day are united in the program “Sofia celebrates September 17” and you can see here.