Solemn procession to start May 24 celebrations in Sofia

The celebrations of the Day of the Holy Brothers Cyril and Methodius, of the Bulgarian Alphabet, Education and Culture and of Slav Letters will begin with a solemn procession on May 24 in Sofia. President Rumen Radev and Vice President Iliana Iotova will join the procession, the Presidency said Wednesday.

The procession will start at 10:30 from the Ministry of Education and Science near the fountain in front of the Archaeological Museum and will continue to the Monument of the Holy Brothers in front of the "St. St. Cyril and Methodius" National Library. Mayor of Sofia Yordanka Fandakova announced Tuesday that the official ceremony will begin at 11:00.

Citizen access to the security zone in front of the National Library will be provided from 9:30 am through two checkpoints - on "Shipka" street, opposite the Sofia University, and on "Vasil Levski" boulevard, opposite the National Academy of Arts, the National Security Service (NSS) said. A ban on the use of unmanned aerial systems (drones) in the security zone will be introduced for the period from 10:30 to 13:00.

In front of the National Library Rumen Radev will deliver a greeting and will present flowers at the monument of the Holy Brothers.

At 11:00 the "Let's Read" festival on Slaveykov Square will start and will continue throughout the day.

At 18:30 at the National History Museum in Sofia, President Radev and his wife will host the traditional reception on the occasion of the Day of the Holy Brothers Cyril and Methodius, of the Bulgarian alphabet, education and culture and of Slavonic literature.