February 27 connects a defining religious and national achievement with a small but fascinating cultural first in modern Bulgarian urban life.
February 27, 1870 — Sultan Abdulaziz Restores the Bulgarian Church as an Exarchate
On February 27, 1870, Sultan Abdulaziz issued the firman that restored the Bulgarian Church as an Exarchate. This was one of the great achievements of the Bulgarian National Revival, because the church question was closely connected to education, language, and political self-awareness. For decades, Bulgarians had pressed for church independence from the Greek-dominated Patriarchate of Constantinople.
The Exarchate created an official Bulgarian ecclesiastical structure within the Ottoman Empire and gave institutional form to communities that already saw themselves as part of a shared national project. The decision did not end all disputes, but it gave Bulgarians a powerful recognized body before political liberation — making the Exarchate both a religious institution and a national landmark.
February 27, 1897 — Bulgaria’s First Public Film Show Takes Place in Ruse
On February 27, 1897, Bulgaria’s first public film show took place in Ruse, only a short time after moving pictures had begun astonishing audiences across Europe. Ruse, a Danube city with strong commercial and cultural links to Central Europe, was a natural place for such a novelty to appear.
For the people who saw it, cinema was not yet an industry or a familiar art form — it was a technological wonder: moving images projected before an audience, changing the idea of what public entertainment could be. The event marks the beginning of Bulgaria’s encounter with film culture, long before the country developed its own studios, directors, and cinematic traditions.
Step through the series: February 26 and February 28. You can also explore our Bulgaria guides and the Bulgaria From Above series.
