Prayer held in front of the Russian Church in Sofia, citizens closed Tsar Osvoboditel Blvd.

Citizens gathered in front of the church of St. Nicholas the Miracle-Maker in Sofia, where a prayer service was held for opening of the church. The doors of the church remained closed after the expulsion of three Russian priests on charges of espionage for Moscow.

The leader of "Vazrazhdane" Kostadin Kostadinov together with supporters of the party were among those who blocked "Tsar Osvoboditel" Blvd. They issued an ultimatum to the State Agency for National Security to bring the expelled priests back to the country within 24 hours.

Meanwhile, Metropolitan Cyprian of Stara Zagora - spokesman of the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, announced that the ecclesiastical body would discuss the issue with the closed church at its next meeting.