Under the pensive cast of a grey sky, members of Bulgarias international community gathered on Sunday November 11 at Sofia Central Cemeterys foreign war graves for the annual service of remembrance marking the end of World War 1 the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918.
Called Armistice, Remembrance or Veterans Day, the date was originally used to honour those who died in foreign service, but now commemorates all military veterans.
Starting at the British military cemetery, then moving on to the German and to the French-Francophone military cemeteries, the services were accompanied by solemn words, prayers, the laying of wreaths and the mournful sound of the trumpet.
British ambassador Steve Williams and a vicar led the service to commence the morning. This was followed by the German service led by German ambassador Michael Geier and a German clergy member, who read a literary text. French ambassador Etienne de Poncins concluded the time of remembrance with a succinct oration, after which he and Moroccan ambassador El Ghailani Dlimi laid a joint wreath on the Francophone monument.
Among those present were Afghan ambassador Zahida Ansary, Albanian ambassador Bujar Skendo, American ambassador John Beyrle, Dutch ambassador Willem van Ee, Greek ambassador Danai-Magdalini Koumanakou, Irish ambassador Geoffrey Keating and South African ambassador Gerhard Visser, and representatives of Bulgaria, Egypt, Italy, Romania and Serbia, with John Menzies representing Australia.
Also in attendance were retired and active members of the armed forces of various nations.
