Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

In Bulgaria: Orthodox Church celebrates Palm Sunday, Catholics and Armenians - Easter

Patriarch Neophyte also attended the solemn liturgy at St. Alexander Nevsky Church, April 9, 2023.
Photo: BGNES

Holy Mass was held in the Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky in Sofia on the occasion of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem. "May the peace and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with us all!" wished Patriarch Neophyte, who was present at the service. Palm Sunday is also known as Tsvetnitsa (from tsvete - flower) or Vrabnitsa (from varba - willow tree) in Bulgaria, where palm leaves are replaced with willow branches. Tomorrow begins Holy Week, the week of Christ's passion, crucifixion and resurrection.

Thousands gathered in the central Bulgarian town of Lovech, where there is a traditional crafts fair and a national festival of folk art and customs, BNR correspondent Plamen Hristov reports.

In the southeastern village of General Inzovo over 300 folklore lovers gathered today at the festival "From Palm Sunday to St. George's Day". The festival presents folk songs, dances, rituals and customs observed between the two major holidays, as our correspondent Daniela Kostova informs.

Catholics in Bulgaria celebrate Easter today. The faithful filled the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the town of Rakovski, home to the largest Catholic community in Bulgaria. 

Armenians are also celebrating Easter. In Silistra, however, they will celebrate it a week later in the oldest Armenian temple in Bulgaria, the 1620 St. Mary's Church, when a priest from Ruse will come to celebrate mass. Since the 1960s, the Armenians in Silistra have not had their own clergyman, BNR correspondent Nezabravka Kirova said. 



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

The 32nd National Festival of Karakachans takes place near Sliven

The 32nd National Festival of Karakachans is taking place in the "Karandila" area near the city of Sliven on August 23. The event is organized by the Federation of Cultural and Educational Societies of the Karakachans in Bulgaria. The..

published on 8/23/25 6:05 AM

Mostly sunny with short-term rain showers in some places

At night, in places in the central and eastern part of the country there will be short-term showers with thunderstorms. By morning the precipitation will stop. Cloudiness will decrease from the west. On Saturday it will be..

published on 8/22/25 7:05 PM

Marchela-Vasilena Merchant to stage dance show "Samodiva" in London

In the last days of the hottest month - from August 27 to 30, the performance "Samodiva" will be premiered in London. This is an innovative, immersive dance production inspired by Bulgarian folklore myths. It is the work of..

published on 8/22/25 2:50 PM