February 22 appears twice in Bulgaria’s history with events separated by seventeen years — one on the stage, one in the church — both closing long chapters and opening new ones.
February 22, 1928 — Professional Ballet Begins in Bulgaria
Professional ballet in Bulgaria began with the premiere of Léo Delibes’ Coppélia. The performance marked the start of an institutional tradition that would grow within the Bulgarian opera and theatre world. Ballet required a demanding combination of music, choreography, stage design, training, and audience development — and its emergence showed that Bulgaria’s cultural life was becoming increasingly professional and connected to European artistic forms.
During the interwar period, Sofia was expanding its theatres, concerts, schools, and cultural institutions, and ballet became part of that modernization. The premiere of Coppélia was not only an artistic event but a sign that Bulgarian stage culture was broadening beyond drama and opera.
February 22, 1945 — The Schism over the Bulgarian Church Is Lifted
The schism imposed on the Bulgarian Church by the Patriarchate of Constantinople in 1872 was lifted. The original schism had followed the establishment of the Bulgarian Exarchate and the national church struggle of the nineteenth century, and for decades it marked a deep conflict between Bulgarian ecclesiastical independence and the authority of the Patriarchate.
Lifting the schism in 1945 restored canonical relations and gave recognition to the Bulgarian Orthodox Church after a long period of tension — coming during a time of political transformation after the Second World War, and closing a chapter that had been opened during the National Revival.
Discover more in the series: February 21 and February 23. Browse our Bulgaria guides or take in Bulgaria From Above.
