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Lesson Transcript

Hello, and welcome to the Culture Class- Holidays in Bulgaria Series at BulgarianPod101.com. In this series, we’re exploring the traditions behind Bulgarian holidays and observances. I’m Eric, and you're listening to Season 1, Lesson 5- Bulgarian Education and Culture, and Slavonic Literature Day
In Bulgaria, one of the most revered holidays is May 24 or, as it is known, “The Day of Bulgarian Education and Culture, and Slavonic Literature.” or in Bulgarian Den na balgarskata prosveta i kultura i na slavyanskata pismenost.
In this lesson, you'll learn more about this day and also why and how Bulgarian people celebrate it.
Now, before we get into more detail, I've got a question for you-
Do you know what the connection is between the glagolitsa, the Glagolitic alphabet, and the kirilitsa, Cyrillic alphabet, which is used nowadays?
If you don't already know, you’ll find out a bit later, so keep listening!
May 24 is the Day of Bulgarian Education and Culture, as well as the day celebrating the “creation” or sazdavane of the so-called glagolitsa, which is a type of writing system and was actually the first Slavic alphabet. It was created by the brothers Cyril and Methodius, also known as the Brothers from Thessaloniki or Solun. They used the Glagolitic alphabet to write the translations of the Bible, and in this way helped to preserve the “cultural heritage” or kulturnoto nasledstvo for the future Slavic peoples.
The Day of Bulgarian Education and Culture and Slavonic Literature was first celebrated during the period of the Bulgarian Revival as a day for paying “tribute,” or pochitam, to the work of the brothers Cyril and Methodius. It became one of the ways for the Bulgarian people to show their recognition and admiration for “education,” or obrazovanie, “science,” or in Bulgarian nauka, and culture. In 1990, it became a public holiday in the Republic of Bulgaria.
The anthem of this holiday is the song “March Ahead, Oh, Revived People” which is performed every year at the celebrations. The festivities include celebratory programs with musical performances of choral songs and folk dances. Usually, schools and universities have festive decorations or ukrasa of wreaths and flowers as well as prolific cultural programs. Very often, processions are organized with the participation of students and teachers.
The song “March Ahead, Oh, Revived People” is a “poem,” or in Bulgarian stihotvorenie, written by the poet Stoyan Mihaylovski which inspired the composer Panayot Pipkov to write music for the lyrics. Bulgarians like checking if others know the text and the author of the song.
Now it's time to answer our quiz question-
Do you know what the connection is between the Glagolitic alphabet and the Cyrillic alphabet which is used nowadays?
The Saint brothers Cyril and Methodius created the glagolitsa. The kirilitsa appeared in Bulgaria at the end of the ninth century. During the centuries, the kirilitsa was used alongside the glagolitsa, but gradually started “replacing” it, or in Bulgarian da ya izmestva, in the 12th century.
How was this lesson? Did you learn anything interesting?
Do you celebrate a similar day of culture and science?
Leave a comment letting us know at BulgarianPod101.com,
and we'll see you in the next lesson!

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