Levski's grave is unknown

Vassil Levski

1837 - 1873

Levski was buried secretly. The Ottoman authorities knew too well that even dead Levski was dangerous for the Ottoman Empire. They knew that his grave would become a place of worship and inspiration for the national liberation movement. Thus, until present day we do not know for certain where the Levski's grave is. Ironically, Levski had said, "If they hang me, at least my grave will remain in Bulgarian land and everyone will know it."

For the period 1873 - 1956 the national memory kept and spread the story about Levski's grave told by old Sofia residents. Grandma Maria Pop Pavlova told the newspaper Mir (6/03/1937) that the body of the Apostle had been buried by the priest Todor near by the White Roses gallows. In the night after the execution, the sexton of the church St. Petka (still open for people nowadays) disinterred Levski's body and buried the remains in the altar of the church.

The urban development of Sofia in 1956 brought the necessity for archeological excavations in St. Petka church. The archeologists did find a grave. The remains there were thought to be Levski's, but that was never verified unambiguously. Since then a long and yet unsettled dispute about the place of the Levski's grave has been running, abated and rekindled by the political situations in Bulgaria over the years. Emil Jivkov lists the chronology of this dispute.

In my opinion, it is not that important where exactly the Levski's grave is.
What is important is to keep Levski's flame for liberty in our hearts.

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Created: December, 1999

Updated: 6 April, 2010

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