After the proclamation of the People's Republic of Bulgaria in 1946, the celebration of the holiday on 6 May was stopped. The date of 9 September became the national day of Bulgaria under communist rule (commemorating the 1944 Bulgarian coup d'état) and was adopted as a holiday of the army. A year later, the first festive military parade was held on the occasion of the holiday. In 1953, 23 September was designated as the Day of the Bulgarian People's Army. Its significance lies in it being the day of the staging of the September Uprising in 1923. Despite now having a designated army day, major military celebrations continued to take place on September 9, with the most significant military parade being held on the 1944 coup's 30th anniversary 1974 as well as the celebrations dedicated to the 1300th Anniversary of the Bulgarian State in 1981.