Forty days have passed since the passing of the head of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Neophyte. Despite heavy rain, Orthodox Christians gathered on Sunday, April 21, to honor his memory and pray for the repose of his soul. The faithful participated devoutly in the funeral services held at the Metropolitan Cathedral “St. Nedelya” in Sofia.
The solemn Holy Liturgy was led by Metropolitan Grigory of Vratsa, Vice-President of the Holy Synod.
Following the Divine Liturgy, a memorial service was performed to commemorate the fortieth day since the passing of Patriarch Neophyte. Alongside the serving clergy, Metropolitans Nikolay of Plovdiv, Antony of Western and Central Europe, and Yakov of Dorostol were in attendance to pay their respects.
Metropolitan Gregory addressed the gathered crowd with a speech in which he said: