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Bulgarian Capital Celebrates 140th Liberation Anniversary

Thursday, Jan 04, 2018

The Bulgarian capital of Sofia celebrated on Thursday the 140th anniversary of its liberation from Ottoman rule.

Sofia was liberated on 4 January 1878 by Russian general Gurko, who headed Russian and Finnish military forces and Bulgarian voluntary units known as opalchentsi.

The liberation of Sofia was a key moment in the Russo-Turkish war (1877-1878) as it opened the way for the liberation of Plovdiv and the capture of Edirne.

The celebrations traditionally began with a supplicatory prayer service delivered by Bulgarian Patriarch Neophyte in the Saint Nedelya church, the same church where a service had been held in the presence of General Gurko after the liberation.

After the prayer service, a procession laid flowers to the Monument of the Bulgarian volunteer.

Source: www.novinite.com