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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
RESOLUTION HONORING THE 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF SAINT SOPHIA BULGARIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
WHEREAS, Saint Sophia Bulgarian Orthodox Church was established in 1946 and has served as one of the oldest and most enduring Bulgarian Orthodox institutions in the Chicago metropolitan area for the last eight decades, providing a spiritual home for generations of Bulgarian immigrants and their descendants; and
WHEREAS, throughout its 80-year history, Saint Sophia Bulgarian Orthodox Church has played an important role not only as a place of worship, but also as a center for community life, preserving Bulgarian Orthodox faith, culture, traditions, and national heritage in Cook County and the greater Chicago area; and
WHEREAS, Saint Sophia Bulgarian Orthodox Church maintains its spiritual connection with the Bulgarian Orthodox Church - Bulgarian Patriarchate and has contributed to preserving the religious traditions and identity of generations of Bulgarian Americans; and
WHEREAS, the Church celebrates September 17, the Feast Day of the Holy Martyrs Sophia, Faith, Hope, and Love, as its patronal feast day, bringing together parishioners, families, and members of the wider Bulgarian American community; and
WHEREAS, in 1975, Saint Sophia Bulgarian Sunday School was founded as part of the Church’s mission to educate younger generations, and for more than fifty years the school has provided instruction in the Bulgarian language, Bulgarian culture and traditions, and Orthodox Christian religious education, helping generations of Bulgarian American children maintain a meaningful connection with their ancestral heritage and faith; and
WHEREAS, Saint Sophia Bulgarian Orthodox Church and its Sunday School have strengthened the cultural and social fabric of Cook County by fostering community, education, volunteerism, intergenerational ties, and the preservation of the Bulgarian American heritage that forms part of the rich diversity of Cook County; and
WHEREAS, in 2026, parishioners, alumni, families, clergy, and friends of Saint Sophia Bulgarian Orthodox Church gather to commemorate its 80th anniversary, honoring the generations who built and sustained the Church and reaffirming its continuing mission for future generations;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Cook County Board of Commissioners do hereby congratulates Saint Sophia Bulgarian Orthodox Church on its 80th Anniversary and its outstanding spiritual, educational, cultural, and community contributions to Cook County, and extends its best wishes to the Church, Saint Sophia Bulgarian Sunday School, their clergy, teachers, parishioners, students, alumni, and supporters in the years ahead; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a suitable copy of this Resolution be presented to Saint Sophia Bulgarian Orthodox Church in recognition of this historic milestone and its eight decades of service to the Bulgarian American community and to Cook County.
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