Saint Sophia Bulgarian Orthodox Church in Des Plaines marks 80th anniversary

The 80th anniversary of the Saint Sophia Bulgarian Orthodox Church of was celebrated at an event attended by members of the Bulgarian community and American friends of Bulgaria in Des Plaines, Illinois.

In a social media post, Consul General of the Republic of Bulgaria in Chicago Svetoslav Stankov thanked Des Plaines Mayor Andrew Goczkowski and Cook County Commissioner Kevin Morrison for honoring the Bulgarian community with their presence.

The St. Sophia church community was founded and officially registered in 1946 by a group of Bulgarians, BTA recalls. Over the years, the church has become a place of Orthodox worship and a center for preserving the Bulgarian language, traditions and culture among the Bulgarian community in the Chicago area.

To mark the 80th anniversary, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker issued a proclamation declaring September 17 as Bulgarian Orthodox Church of St. Sophia Day. The document highlights the church’s role in preserving the Orthodox faith, Bulgarian national identity, language, culture and traditions for generations of Bulgarians in the United States.

Edited by Krasimir Martinov

Translated by Kostadin Atanasov