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

Bulgarians around the world bow down to the Apostle of Freedom

Photo: The Bulgarian Embassy in the USA

152 years after the death of the Apostle of Freedom, the personality of Vasil Levski continues to excite Bulgarians, regardless of whether they are in the country or abroad. The Embassy of Bulgaria in Athens, Greece, has extended an invitation to the local Bulgarian community at 4:00 p.m. to lay wreaths and flowers in front of the bas-relief of Vasil Levski in the embassy. A similar invitation is also extended by our embassy in Washington, USA. The bowing will be in front of the monument to Vasil Levski in front of the embassy from 12:30 p.m. local time.

A commemorative ceremony on the occasion of the 152nd anniversary of the hanging of Vasil Levski will also be organized in the Argentine capital Buenos Aires. This was announced to BTA by the Bulgarian mission in the South American country. At 10:00 a.m. local time, flowers will be laid at the bust-monument of Vasil Levski at the Barrancas de Belgrano square in the Belgrano district, Buenos Aires.

Commemoration in front of the monument to Vasil Levski in Chicago
And yesterday, the Bulgarian community in Chicago paid tribute to the life and work of the Apostle of Bulgarian freedom. Wreaths and flowers were laid in front of the monument to Vasil Levski and a funeral service was held at the Bulgarian Orthodox Church "St. Sophia". After the service, history teacher Stoyan Dechev gave a lecture on the life and work of the Apostle, at which those present were once again convinced of the intransience of the ideals bequeathed to us by the hero, informed us the Consul General of Bulgaria in Chicago Svetoslav Stankov.


"Today, when we bow down to the memory of the Apostle of Freedom, we remember that he bequeathed to us not only the dream of a free Bulgaria, but also the example of selfless service to the homeland", said our Consul General in Chicago Svetoslav Stankov in his speech. "His life, work and self-sacrifice are a corrective to everything petty and debased, they remind us that the strength of a people lies in the memory of its heroes, but also in the will for unity and the preserved moral foundations of its society. Today we bow down again to the memory of Vasil Levski - the hero who makes us proud of our Bulgarian identity and is one of the most categorical proofs that we did not receive our freedom for nothing. Let us continue to preserve the memory of him, let us pass on this honor to our children and continue to build Bulgaria as Levski saw it in his dreams".
The events marking the 152nd anniversary of the hanging of Vasil Levski in Chicago will continue in the coming days.

Also yesterday, the Bulgarians in Bosilegrad, Serbia, celebrated the anniversary of the heroic death of the Apostle of Freedom. In front of the monument to the hero, they laid wreaths and flowers, and our Sofia Municipality, together with the Bosilegrad Cultural and Information Center, organized a ceremony. And some of Levski's favorite songs were performed by the Bulgarian vocal formation "Svetoglas".

With the songs of the Apostle in Bosilegrad, performed by Svetoglas ensemble
The Municipality of Tsaribrod also organized a ceremony to mark the 152nd anniversary of the death of Vasil Levski. The program is today, at 11:00 a.m., local time, in front of the bust-monument of Vasil Levski. The mayor of the municipality, Vladitsa Dimitrov, as well as some of the guests of the ceremony will greet those present, Radio-Television Tsaribrod informs. Students from the Tsaribrod high school will give a performance dedicated to the Apostle of Freedom.

The monument to Levski in Tsaribrod
"...We do not hope for anything from any side and we do not pray for anything from anyone. In our opinion, everything consists in our joint forces. Even the strongest element cannot stand against them (Levski to a rich Bulgarian in Wallachia, 06.10.1871)" - this is how the Union of Bulgarians in Cyprus commemorates the national hero of Bulgaria on Facebook.

Bas relief of Levski, Embassy of Bulgaria in Nicosia, Cyprus
Photos: Embassy of Bulgaria in the USA, Consulate General of Bulgaria in Chicago, Svetoglas/Facebook page, Krasimir Martinov, Embassy of Bulgaria in Cyprus.



English publication: Rositsa Petkova



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

Bulgaria tracks sparrow populations for the 9th year in a row

For the ninth year in a row, the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds is organising the Let’s Count the Sparrows campaign . It takes place this Saturday, May 3, and anyone can take part by recording the number and types of sparrows they..

published on 5/3/25 7:05 AM

Lamb on a spit and bagpipes in the heart of the Rhodopes - Zlatograd hosts a festival of flavours

Nearly 100 spit-roasted lambs (chevermeta) will be prepared for the festival in Zlatograd. The town’s vibrant festival is dedicated to the iconic Rhodope delicacy. The event, rich in music and traditional costumes, is expected to draw thousands of..

published on 5/3/25 6:25 AM
The Baptism of Boris I (Artist: Nikolai Pavlovich)

Celebrating 1160 years of Bulgarian baptism and 1170 years of the Bulgarian alphabet

This evening, at 6pm, a prayer service will be held in the courtyard of the Great Basilica, followed by a festive concert dedicated to the 1160th anniversary of the baptism of the Bulgarian people and the 1170th anniversary of the creation of the..

published on 5/2/25 6:20 PM