A solemn Divine Liturgy and prayer service were celebrated on May 10 at the Patriarchal Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky in Sofia on the occasion of the 73rd anniversary of the restoration of the Bulgarian Patriarchate.
Before the service, Bulgarian Patriarch Daniil stated that the Bulgarian Orthodox Church is called “to give birth to saints, enlighten the people entrusted to her in the Orthodox faith, uphold Orthodoxy in these difficult times, and lead the faithful toward salvation.”
The Patriarch concelebrated with Metropolitan Cyprian of Stara Zagora, Bishops Gerasim of Melnik, John of Branitsa, Isaac of Velbazhd, Clement of Levkiya, clergy of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, as well as representatives of the Romanian Patriarchate and clergy serving in the Bulgarian Diocese of the USA, Canada, and Australia.
Following the Divine Liturgy, a prayer service was offered.
In his homily, Patriarch Daniel emphasized that the anniversary of the restoration of the Bulgarian Patriarchate is not only a day of celebration, but also “a moment for reflection on the long journey of our Orthodox Church and Orthodox people.”
He called on the faithful to remain worthy heirs of their forefathers and continue building the work of the Church with faith and responsibility.
“Our Orthodox Church is our common work and common responsibility – of the hierarchy, the clergy, and the people of God,” the Patriarch said.
The Bulgarian Orthodox Church commemorates the restoration of the Bulgarian Patriarchate on May 10 each year. The Patriarchate was restored in 1953, when the Third Church-People’s Council elected Metropolitan Kiril of Plovdiv as Bulgarian Patriarch.
The process leading to the restoration began during the Bulgarian National Revival through the struggle for ecclesiastical independence and the establishment of the Bulgarian Exarchate in 1870. Following the lifting of the schism in 1945 and the recognition of the Bulgarian Church’s autocephaly by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the way was opened for the restoration of the Patriarchate.
After Patriarch Kiril, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church was led by Patriarch Maxim, the longest-serving primate in modern Bulgarian Church history, and later by Patriarch Neofit, who was elected in 2013. Following his repose in 2024, Metropolitan Daniel of Vidin was elected Patriarch of Bulgaria.
Photos: Angel Karadakov
