VARNA FREE UNIVERSITY MARKED 148 YEARS OF THE LIBERATION OF VARNA

27 July 2026

Varna Free University "Chernorizets Hrabar" joined the city-wide celebration of the 148th anniversary of the Liberation of Varna. The Vice President of the University, Yani Yanev, members of the Student Council and representatives of the academic community attended the event.

Video: BGNES

The solemn ceremony took place in the courtyard of the Spiritual and Educational Centre "St Archangel Michael" - the historical place where the Bulgarian school, the student association and the community centre were housed during the Bulgarian National Revival. On 27 July 1878, after long diplomatic negotiations, the city of Varna became the last Bulgarian city liberated from five centuries of Turkish slavery. This happened five months after the military operations of the Russo-Turkish War of Liberation had ended. It was here on 27 July 1878 that the residents of Varna welcomed the liberators from the 14th Bryansk Regiment.

The celebration began with a requiem prayer in memory of the heroes and a prayer of thanks, served by priests from the Holy Metropolis of Varna and Veliki Preslav.

The words of the staurophore economos Georgiy Stoimenov were impressive, emphasising the importance of realising the true meaning of freedom. He recalled that as followers of those thanks to whom we can today greet each other in our native language and freely profess our faith, we are called to continue their work and follow their example.

The participants in the ceremony honoured with a minute of silence those who died for the freedom of Bulgaria. As a sign of gratitude, wreaths and flowers were laid with a military ritual. Representatives of the state and local authorities, the Navy, various institutions and public organizations, as well as citizens paid tribute to the feat and sacrifice of the heroes. Among the official guests were the Chairman of the Municipal Council - Varna Hristo Dimitrov, the Regional Governor Mario Smarkov, the Deputy Mayor of Varna Municipality Sofia Koleva, the Deputy Commander of the Naval Forces, Fleet Admiral Vanyo Musinski, members of parliament, district mayors and municipal councilors, public figures and citizens.

Today is also of particular importance because of the church feast of the Holy Seven Saints – the holy brothers Cyril and Methodius and their disciples Clement, Naum, Sava, Gorazd and Angelarius. The work of the Holy Seven Saints laid the spiritual and literary foundations of Bulgarian culture. They spread the Christian faith and writing, translated liturgical books and established our language as a language of spirituality, enlightenment and literature.

The holiday is particularly significant for Varna Free University "Chernorizets Hrabar", which on the occasion of its 35th anniversary supports the construction of a monument to the holy Seven Saints, and will donate the bronze figures to the city. The realization of the large-scale public cause with their professional work and donations is being supported by alumni of the university - architects, engineers, sculptors, specialists in typography and construction.

The organizer of the city-wide celebration is the Municipality of Varna in partnership with the Naval Forces of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Holy Metropolis of Varna and Veliki Preslav.

Photos:
Team of the Holy Metropolis of Varna and Veliko Preslav,
Krasimir Delchev,
Danail Voykov