Today, August 30, the Orthodox Church commemorates Saint Alexander, Patriarch of Constantinople. On this day, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church celebrates the transfer of the relics of St. Alexander Nevsky.

On August 30, 1724, under Emperor Peter I, the relics of St. Alexander Nevsky were solemnly transferred and laid to rest in the then Russian capital St. Petersburg in a specially built laurel.

St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, which is one of the symbols of the Bulgarian capital city, is named after Prince Alexander I Yaroslavich. Alexander Nevsky was famous for his victory over the Teutonic Order in the battle of Lake Peipus. He was declared a saint by the Russian Orthodox Church. Alexander Nevsky was the patron saint of Russian Emperor Alexander II. The temple was named after Prince Alexander Nevsky as an expression of gratitude to Tsar Liberator.

• 140 years since the laying of the foundation stone of St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
  

Today, the largest cathedral in the Balkans- St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral celebrates its summer feast. The cathedral, designed in Neo-Byzantine style, was built in memory of those who died for the liberation of Bulgaria from Ottoman rule during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878. Its construction began in the summer of 1904 and was completed in 1912. The cathedral’s construction cost 5.5 million BGN and was collected from personal donations and state aid. The cathedral was consecrated twelve years later, on August 30, 1924. On January, 1951, it was declared a Patriarchal Cathedral and in 1955 the cathedral was declared a cultural monument.

On November 23, on the feast day of St. Alexander Nevsky, the Sofia-based patriarchal cathedral marks its patron day.

Alexander, Alexandra, Alexandrina, Alexandria, Aleko, Alexi, Sasho and Sashka celebrate their name day today.

• Hear the chiming bells of the Patriarchal Cathedral of Saint Alexander Nevsky in the heart of Sofia
  

Editing by: Vesela Krasteva

English version: Kostadin Atanasov