May 31, 2001 is the date on which by order of Bulgaria’s Minister of Defense one of the most popular military marches became the official anthem of the Bulgarian Army. The announcement took place solemnly, at a concert of a brass band composed of musicians from several groups on the square in front of the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in central Sofia.
The war song "Great is Our Soldier" was created during the First World War. The melody was composed in 1916 near Lake Ohrid, by Mikhail Shekerdzhiev, a private in the 23rd Regiment of the 8th Tundzha Infantry Division. The lyrics were written by the journalist Lieutenant Konstantin Georgiev.
As of today, there is no holiday or celebration in the Bulgarian Army that goes without a performance of “Great is Our Soldier! Great is Our Soldier! Great, Great, Great!
Since 2001, May 31st has also been celebrated as the Day of Military Brass Bands. On this occasion, Radio Bulgaria brings you a recollection of the rich history of Bulgaria’s Guards Representative Brass Band - HERE.
When we have a special occasion where we meet relatives or friends, as a sign of respect and as a memory, we usually present them with a gift, complete with a beautiful card. In the past, the card received was kept as a cherished memory and even passed..
Holy Thursday is one of the two days in the Holy Week when we dye eggs for Easter. Tradition dictates that the oldest woman in the family takes on this important task, and the first egg is always dyed red. The Red Egg – symbol of the..
Today, the Bulgarian National Radio’s foreign language service Radio Bulgaria “speaks” 11 languages. Through the years, languages have been added, others have been dropped – something that happened to the Polish-language programmes. They were aired by..
Mostly Cloudy
Partly cloudy, chance of rain
Overcast, rain
Occasional showers