Most of Bulgaria's people live in cities.  Many work in such industries as food processing and production of metal goods.  Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria.  Bulgaria came under Communist rule in 1946.  The Bulgarian Communist Party took control of the government.  Political parties that opposed the Communist Party were outlawed.  The party and government together gained almost total control over the economy.  In the late 1980's, the Soviet Union, which was then the world's most powerful Communist country, made reforms resulting in more freedom for its people.  In December 1989, Communists who favored reforms gained control of Bulgaria's Communist Party and the government.  They began taking steps to end the complete control of the government.  Opposition parties were allowed to operate.  The Communist Party changed its name to the Bulgarian Socialist Party.  The National Assembly is Bulgaria's legislative body.  Its 240 members are elected by the people to a four-year term.  After the Communist Party came to power the government discouraged religion and supervised religious practice.  But in 1989, the reform government affirmed the rights to all citizens to practice their religion.  About 90 percent of the people are members of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, one of the Eastern Orthodox Churches.  Other religious groups include Muslims, Protestants, and Roman Catholics.  Bulgaria began printing stamps of Mary in 1942.

    A people called the Thracians established the first civilization in what is now Bulgaria about three thousand years ago.  The region became part of the Roman Empire in the A.D. 40's.  Slavs from what are now southeastern Poland and northwestern Ukraine settled in the territory during the 500's.  In the 600's, nomadic Bulgar tribes from central Asia migrated to the region.  In time, the Bulgars blended with the Slavic people.  The first Bulgarian kingdom was established in 681.  It gradually became the most powerful state in the Balkans.  The second Bulgarian kingdom was founded in 1186, after Bulgaria regained its independence from Byzantine rule.  Ottoman rule of Bulgaria lasted more than five hundred years.  The Ottomans forced their culture on Bulgarian society.  They seized Bulgarian lands and other property and heavily taxed the people.

 

Facts of the Bulgarian history- Virigin Mary on wall Episodes de l'Bulgarie - La Vierge Marie sur le mur
Date: 10/12/1942;
Scott: 424; Y&T: 410

Facts of the Bulgarian history- Virigin Mary on wall Episodes de l'Bulgarie - La Vierge Marie sur le mur
Date: 10/12/1942;
Scott: 432; Y&T: 418

Marian Icon - Museum of Sofia Icone mariale - Musee deSofia
Date: 02/25/1966;
Scott: 1473
Icon- Virgin and Child - Musuem of Sofia Icone - La Vierge et l'Enfant - Musee de Sofia
Date: 02/25/1966;
Scott: 1478

Virgin Mary and St. John La Vierge et l'Enfant - Musee de Sofia
Date: 04/03/1969;
Scott: 1763

Christ - Virgin Mary i nthe Background Le Christ - La Vierge Marie a l'arriere
Date: 04/03/1969;
Scott: 1766

Virgin Mary La Vierge Mary
Date: 09/24/1973;
Scott: 2119		 Icon - Annunciation - Royal Gates - Valiko Turnovo Icone - l'Annonciation - Les portes royales - Valiko Turnovo
Date: 05/10/1977;
Scott: 2413		 Icon - Christ enthroned between Mary and John the Baptist - Nessebur Icone - Le Christ que le trone au milieu de Marie et de Jean-Baptiste - Nessebur
Date: 05/10/1977;
Scott: 2414
Icon - Presentationof the Virgin to the Temple - Rila Monastery - 1795 Icone - La presentation de Marie au Temple - Monastere de Rila
Date: 05/10/1977;
Scott: 2416		 Icon - Virgin and Child - Tryavna Church La vierge et l'Enfant - Eglise de Tryavna
Date: 05/10/1977;
Scott: 2417		 Icon - Virgin and Child - Nesebar Icone - La Vierge et l'Enfant - Nesebar
Date: 08/07/1979;
Scott: 2615
Icon - Virgin and Child - Nesebar  Icone - La Vierge et l'Enfant - Nesebar
Date: 08/07/1979;
Scott: 2616		 Icon - Virgin and Child - Sozopol Icone - La Vierge et l'Enfant - Sozopol
Date: 08/07/1979;
Scott: 2617		 Icon - Virgin and Child - Sozopol - 16 c Icone - La Vierge et l'Enfant - Sozopol 16 c
Date: 08/07/1979;
Scott: 2619
St. Anne and Young Mary Sainte Anne et la jeune Marie
Date: 11 - 1980;    
Artist - Leonardo da Vinci
Scott: 2718		 Annunciation L'annonciation
Date: 11 - 1980;    
Artist - Leonardo da Vinci
Scott: 2719		 Annunciation L'annonciation
Date: 11 - 1980;    
Artist - Leonardo da Vinci
Scott: 2720
Adoration of the Kings L'adoration des rois mages
Date: 11 - 1980;    
Artist - Leonardo da Vinci
Scott: 2721

Souvenir Sheet-Madonna Feuillet-souvenir-La Madone
Date: 12/22/1983;    
Artist - Raphael
Scott: 2941

Mother and Child La Mere et l'Enfant
Date: 04/28/1989;    
Artist - Toma Vishanov
Scott: 3408

Holy Family with St. Anne La Sainte Famille avec sainte Anne
Date: 12/13/1991;    
Artist - El Greco
Scott: 3657

Holy Family with St. Mary Magdelene La Sainte FAmille avec sainte Marie Madeleine
Date: 12/13/1991;    
Artist - El Greco
Scott: 3660

Souvenir Sheet - Holy Family with St. Anne Feuillet-souvenir - La Sainte FAmille avec sainte Anne
Date: 12/13/1991;    
Artist - El Greco
Scott: 3662

 

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