site.btaBolhrad to Mark 205th Anniversary on August 25

A prayer service, commemorative ceremonies, a cultural programme, a charity bazaar, and sports tournaments will be part of the celebrations marking the 205th anniversary of the founding of Bolhrad on August 25, the Bolhrad City Council said on Facebook.

The programme will begin at 8 am with a prayer service at the Holy Transfiguration Church. At the same time, flowers will be laid at the graves of Bolhrad's honorary citizens in the city cemetery.

A nationwide minute of silence and a flag-raising ceremony for the Bolhrad city flag are scheduled for 8.50 am in the central square.

At 9.30 am, flowers will be laid at the Memorial of Glory. A themed programme commemorating the Day of the Liberation of Bolhrad from the Fascist Occupiers will also take place there.

A freestyle wrestling tournament held in memory of the founder of Bolhrad will begin at 10 am

At 11 am, the Centre for Children's and Youth Creativity will inaugurate a beadwork studio.

From 12 pm to 4 pm, chess, backgammon, and darts tournaments will be held at 170 Inzovska Street. The competitions will also be open to people with disabilities.

At the same location, a charity bazaar in support of the Armed Forces of Ukraine will begin at 3 pm. The official programme marking the 205th anniversary of the founding of Bolhrad will start at 4 pm.

The sports programme will continue from 5 pm to 8 pm.

The celebrations are part of a series of events dedicated to Ukraine's State Flag Day and Independence Day.

The Bolhrad City Council has invited residents and visitors to the municipality to take part in the celebrations.

The city of Bolhrad was founded in 1821 by Bulgarian settlers. It is widely regarded as the unofficial capital of the Bessarabian Bulgarians. On October 29, 1838, the Holy Transfiguration Cathedral in Bolhrad was consecrated through the efforts and financial support of the Bulgarian settlers.

Twenty years later, in 1858, the historic Saints Cyril and Methodius Bolhrad High School (present-day Georgi Rakovski Bolhrad High School) opened.

In present-day Ukraine, Bolhrad serves as the administrative center of Bolhrad Raion following the country's administrative-territorial reform of July 17, 2020. The district comprises 10 municipalities, where more than 60% of the population is of Bulgarian origin.