February 16 gave Bulgaria’s history two of its most consequential institutional births — one that anchored church identity at the heart of the national cause, the other that gave the country its own organized voice in the world of news.
February 16, 1872 — Antim of Vidin Is Elected First Bulgarian Exarch
Metropolitan Antim of Vidin was elected the first Bulgarian Exarch by a convention of clergy in Constantinople. The election was a decisive moment in the Bulgarian Church struggle, which had sought independence from the authority of the Greek-dominated Patriarchate of Constantinople. Church autonomy was not only a religious question — it was central to national identity, education, language, and community organization under Ottoman rule.
The Bulgarian Exarchate became an institution through which Bulgarians could build schools, appoint clergy, and defend cultural rights across the empire. Antim’s election gave leadership to this structure and strengthened the connection between church and national revival, making February 16, 1872 one of the great institutional victories of the Bulgarian nineteenth century.
February 16, 1898 — BTA Releases Its First News Bulletin
The Bulgarian News Agency released its first news bulletin, hand-written by its director Oskar Iskender. The four-page bulletin contained seven news items, including stock and commodity exchange prices, Balkan developments, and news about Princess Clementine of Orleans, mother of Prince Ferdinand I. The event marked the practical birth of BTA as Bulgaria’s national news agency.
In the late nineteenth century, a modern state needed reliable information flows — diplomacy, newspapers, markets, and government all depended on news arriving quickly and accurately. BTA would go on to document wars, political changes, culture, sport, disasters, and everyday public life for more than a century.
What happened on the days nearby? See February 15 and February 17. And for a visual journey through the country, visit our Bulgaria From Above series.
