22nd March - Feast of Veliko Tarnovo

The celebration of the city is associated with the victory of Tsar Ivan Asen II over the Epirus despot Theodore Komnin at the Battle of Klokotnitsa on March 22 (March 9 BC) 1230, as well as with the day of St. Forty martyrs.

The first information about the celebration of March 22 as a holiday of Veliko Tarnovo dates back to 1879. Then a celebration of the Tarnovo citizenship is held in the temple “St. Forty Martyrs”, which took place on March 9 (A.D.). The liturgy was attended by the Imperial Commissar Prince Dondukov-Korsakov, the army, senior officials and clergy, representatives of the Constituent Assembly taking place at that time in the city, many citizens.

For the first time after five centuries of slavery, not only the people of Tarnovo, but also the entire National Assembly, paid tribute to the past. From then until 1944, the day of the Holy Forty Martyrs was annually celebrated as the day of Tarnovo and the feast of the Tarnovo garrison.

After September 9, 1944, the holiday was not celebrated. For its restoration, the vigilant residents of the Asenov district have a certain merit, who in 1970 celebrated it in the church of St. Forty Martyrs” under the title “My favorite neighborhood”. In 1984, their idea was supported by the public of Veliko Tarnovo, which to this day, on March 22, celebrates with a program of several days the celebration of its glorious city.

Festive program Veliko Tarnovo municipality for March 22, 2015

7:30 p.m. Church “St. 40 Martyrs”
Festive Holy Liturgy, Served by His Highness Metropolitan Gregory of Veliko Tarnovo
with the participation of the quartet “Angel Voices”
9:00am courtyard of the church “St. 40 Martyrs”
Laying flowers at the monument to Tsar Kaloyan
9:20am courtyard of the church “St. 40 Martyrs”
Declaring text from the Asen column.
Water Sanctuary and Health Blessing. Sprinkling the representative part
of the National Military University “Vasil Levski”
and the flags of Veliko Tarnovo
Speech of the Mayor of the Municipality of Veliko Tarnovo — eng. Daniel Panov
9:45am from the Church of St. 40 Martyrs to the Municipality
Festive procession with the portraits of the benefactors of the city
10:30am in front of the municipality
Festive ritual of raising the flags.
Festive speech of the Mayor of the Municipality of Veliko Tarnovo — eng. Daniel Panov
11:00am in front of the municipal building
“Festive Kaleidoscope” - concert program
11:00 a.m. at MDT “K. Kisimov”
Solemn session of the Veliko Tarnovo Municipal Council
opening with a performance of the anthem by the choir “Cantilena”
12:00 h in front of the municipality building
Presentation of the winners with titles and awards on the occasion of the Holiday
1:30 p.m. In front of the municipality building
Festive concert with the participation of artists and formations from Veliko Tarnovo
4:30 p.m. European Information Centre
Warm-up party
6:00 p.m. Street Parade
7:30 p.m. Boris Denev Art Gallery
Launch of luminous paper lanterns
3D mapping show “The Greatness of Asenevtsi”
Holiday Illuminations

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