Znepolski Bishop Nikolay consecrated Bulgaria's colours at the Monument of the Unknown Soldier in Sofia on January 6, the day of St. Jordan. Photo by Nadya Kotseva (Sofia Photo Agency)
The solemn ceremony of consecrating Bulgaria's colours gathered statesmen, defense and municipal officials and MPs at the Monument of the Unknown Soldier on January 6, the day of St. Jordan.
The day is celebrated each year as Epiphany day when John the Baptist baptized Jesus in the river of Jordan and the Holy Spirit came to Him as a white dove.
The religious-military ritual is believed to bring health and success to the whole nation and was first performed for Bulgaria's warriors in 917 AD.
This year it was Znepolski Bishop Nikolay and not the ailing Patriarch Maxim, head of Bulgaria's Orthodox Church, who performed the water-blessing-of-the-colours service.
President Parvanov, Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev, Defense Minister Vesselin Bliznakov, the chief of the General Staff of Bulgarian Armed Forces Zlatan Stoykov attended the ceremony.