Why 1 November holds a special place in Bulgaria's calendar

Some dates have a special place in the hearts of Bulgarians. They bring people together, inspire pride and offer a welcome respite from the arguments and divisions of everyday life. One of them is 1 November – National Awakeners Day, a distinctly Bulgarian holiday whose meaning goes beyond honouring the achievements of the past.

The day was originally dedicated to the educators, writers, revolutionaries and spiritual leaders who worked for the freedom and advancement of the Bulgarian people during the National Revival, when Bulgarian lands were still under Ottoman rule.

Today, their names are familiar to every Bulgarian. Among them are the monk Paisius of Hilendar, Bishop Sofroniy of Vratsa, the educator Neofit Rilski, Petar Beron, author of the first modern Bulgarian textbook, the revolutionaries Georgi Sava Rakovski, Hristo Botev and Vasil Levski, and Ivan Vazov, author of the first Bulgarian novel.

These are just some of the writers, thinkers and revolutionaries who helped sustain a sense of Bulgarian identity and encouraged the struggle for freedom and national progress before the country’s liberation in 1878.

But Bulgaria’s national awakeners did more than inspire admiration. Encouraging people to question the status quo and stand up for their beliefs takes more than persuasion and personal example. It takes passion, honesty and sometimes a willingness to challenge and provoke.

Many addressed their fellow Bulgarians directly, often in uncompromising terms. They appealed to their conscience, challenged their complacency and refused to let them remain indifferent. They were a necessary thorn in society’s side – an uncomfortable presence that helped it move forward.

Every nation needs people who challenge it to think, question and resist indifference. Bulgaria has a holiday dedicated to just such people.

National Awakeners Day was first celebrated in Plovdiv on 1 November 1909, the feast day of St John of Rila, Bulgaria’s patron saint, according to the old calendar. It became an official holiday in 1922 at the initiative of Stoyan Omarchevski, then Minister of Public Education.

Omarchevski believed that their achievements should remain part of the nation’s collective memory. Their example, he argued, could continue to inspire future generations and sustain a sense of national purpose.

The holiday was observed until 1945, when it was abolished by the communist regime. It was officially reinstated in 1992. Since then, the meaning of the Bulgarian word "buditel", usually translated as "awakener", has gradually expanded. Today, it can refer to anyone who helps keep a society intellectually, culturally or morally awake, regardless of the period in which they live.

This year, 1 November coincides with the second round of Bulgaria’s presidential election. Some will see symbolism in that coincidence, others irony. But perhaps it serves above all as a reminder of the people who once inspired Bulgarians to look beyond their immediate concerns – and of how much the country still needs leaders with the courage, integrity and vision to do the same.

Recognising that need may itself be a form of awakening.

Editor: Elena Karkalanova