Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2024 All Rights Reserved

It is also the day of the great victory at Klokotnitsa

Bulgarian Orthodox Church marks Holy Forty Martyrs Day

Church of the Holy Forty Martyrs in Veliko Tarnovo
Photo: Library

On March 9, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church celebrates the day of the Holy Forty Martyrs. These are early Christian Armenian warriors, martyrs from the city of Sebase who died in the 4th century for their faith during the persecutions of Emperor Licinius.

According to popular belief, on this day the sun turns to summer and the weather warms up.
In the Bulgarian history, March 9, 1230 was the date of the battle at Klokotnitsa, when Tsar Ivan Asen II defeated and captured the invading Epirus ruler Theodore Comnenus. The Bulgarian tsar captured the whole family of Comnenus, and his numerous captured soldiers were released. In honour of the great victory, the tsar ordered the construction of a church to the Holy Forty Martyrs in the medieval capital the capital Tarnovo where he puts a commemorative inscription.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

On September 20, Prof. Ludmil Vagalinski's team discovered a statue in Heraclea Sintica, three days later they also discovered the head of the sculpture.

Floor mosaic and the head of a Roman statue discovered at Heraclea Sintica

The head of a statue has been unearthed during excavations in the great canal of the ancient city of Heraclea Sintica located in Southwestern Bulgaria, close to the town of Petrich. The head longs to the statue that was discovered a few days ago..

published on 9/23/24 4:48 PM

85 European archaeologists meet in Bulgaria to discuss "Frontier Landscapes along the Danube"

From 23 to 28 September, Sofia and Vidin will host the 7th International Conference on the Roman Danubian Provinces on the theme "Frontier Landscapes along the Danube", reports BNR Vidin. The initiative was taken by the University of Ferrara, Italy...

published on 9/23/24 8:45 AM
Memorial on Tsarevets hill in Veliko Tarnovo where the independence of Bulgaria was proclaimed

On 22 September 1908 Bulgaria gained its independence

The independence of Bulgaria was proclaimed on 22 September, 1908. After the most audacious independent act in Bulgarian history – the unification of Eastern Rumelia with the Principality of Bulgaria – Bulgarians once again demonstrated the power of..

published on 9/22/24 7:05 AM