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Sofia's Saint Nedelya Cathedral marks its patron saint's day

Photo: Archive

Today, when the Bulgarian Orthodox Church honours the memory of the Holy Great Martyr Nedelya, all the temples named after the saint celebrate their feast day. The church of the Sofia Metropolitan "Sveta Nedelya" in the centreof Sofia will celebrate its patron day with a solemn Holy Liturgy today at 9.00 am.
In the 19th and the first decades of the 20th century, the church was also known as "Sveti  Kral" (The Holy King) because it housed the relics of the Serbian King Stefan Uroš II (1282 - 1321). The original church was built in the 10th century and, like other Sofia temples at the time, had stone foundations and a wooden structure on top. In this form the church lasted until the mid-20th century. On May 7, 1856 the construction of the new church began. 
The church became famous during the assassination attempt on April 16, 1925, when it was destroyed. It is considered that this is the worst terrorist act in the history of Bulgaria.



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