Bulgarians in Rome bring May 24 celebrations to the heart of the Italian capital

On May 24, Piazza della Repubblica in Rome will fill with Bulgarian music, folk dances and national colours as the Bulgarian community in the Italian capital marks one of Bulgaria’s most cherished holidays. The celebration is dedicated to the Day of Saints Cyril and Methodius, the Bulgarian alphabet, education and culture, and Slavic literature. This year’s event also marks the 25th anniversary of Association “Bulgaria” in Rome.

“For 25 years now, we have organised celebrations almost every year, either on 3 March or 24 May,” Marian Rusinov told Radio Bulgaria. He said that the anniversary programme would trace the history of the Bulgarian association in Rome through music, dance and poetry performed by community members.

The event will feature the dance group “Ahinora”, students from the Bulgarian Sunday school “ABAGAR”, vocal ensembles and guests from Bulgarian organisations across Italy. There will also be poetry recitals, greetings from institutions in Bulgaria and Italy, and performances by children who were raised abroad but are connected to Bulgarian traditions.

"We will dance, celebrate and sing," said Rusinov. As in previous years, the programme will conclude with the Bulgarian national anthem and a communal horo dance in the square — a tradition that unites Bulgarians of all ages in Rome.

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The celebration has also become a familiar sight for Romans and tourists passing through Piazza della Repubblica, one of the busiest squares in the Italian capital.

“Many people stop to watch, and some even join in with the horo dance,” said Rusinov, adding that such moments turn Bulgarian culture into “a natural bridge between people”.

The Association "Bulgaria" was founded at a time when the Bulgarian community in Italy had limited ways to stay connected.

The celebration has also become a familiar sight for Romans and tourists passing through Piazza della Repubblica, one of the busiest squares in the Italian capital. “Many people stop to watch, and some even join in with the horo dance,” said Rusinov, adding that such moments turn Bulgarian culture into “a natural bridge between people”.

The Association "Bulgaria" was founded at a time when the Bulgarian community in Italy had limited ways to stay connected. 

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“Back then, we were a means of communication,” Rusinov recalled. Before social media and easy access to information from home, invitations to gatherings were distributed via leaflets handed out at bus stops and places where Bulgarians gathered on weekends. People exchanged information about jobs, accommodation, and administrative matters while preserving a sense of community and identity.

Celebrating May 24 in Rome, home to the Basilica di San Clemente where St Cyril the Philosopher is buried, adds an extra layer of symbolism. “Bulgarians here are proud of this,” said Rusinov. “Many Italians are surprised when they learn how deep the connection is between Bulgaria, Slavic literacy and Rome.”

For Rusinov, who has lived in Italy for over 30 years, 24 May remains closely tied to his school days in Bulgaria. “My memories are filled with the parades and brass bands we had every year at school,” he said.

This year, those memories will be relived in Rome, where Bulgarians will gather in Piazza della Repubblica at 10:00 local time on 24 May — far from home, but close to their roots.

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