St. George's Day (Bulgaria)

St. George's Day, also known as Army Day, is a public holiday in Bulgaria, and it is observed on May 6 each year.

St. George's Day is a holiday in memory of Saint George, who was venerated as a saint in Christianity. There is little information on the early life of St. George, but many historians believe he was born into a noble family, and his parents were both Christians.

He became a soldier in the Roman army when he grew up and became a senior officer in his 20s. The Roman Emperor Diocletian hated Christians and announced to arrest of Christians and offered sacrifice to the Roman gods. St. George was a Christian, and he refused to follow Diocletian's order. He was then tortured and beheaded for refusing to recant his Christian faith.

One well-known story is about St. George and the dragon. According to the legend, a fierce dragon caused panic in the city of Silene, Libya, and people gave the dragon two sheep each day. However, the dragon was greedy and forced to sacrifice humans instead of two sheep. One time, the human selected was the king's daughter. George slew the dragon and saved the princess. The king was grateful and offered him treasures, but St. George gave them to the poor. The people were amazed at St. George's behavior, and all became Christians.

St. George is the patron saint in Bulgaria, and St. George's Day was made an official holiday on January 9, 1880, in Bulgaria. However, the holiday was canceled when the Communist regime came to power in 1946, and it was reinstated in 1993.

The following is the list of St. George's Day in Bulgaria from 2022 to 2026.

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