Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Chalkida expressed his deep joy and emotion over his presence in Bulgaria and at the Patriarchate, in statements made during his visit to the country, during which he brought with him holy relics of Saint David of Euboea as well as the skoufo (cap) of Saint John the Russian.
Speaking to the media of the Bulgarian Patriarchate, Metropolitan Chrysostomos said he had felt deep joy at being in the Bulgarian Patriarchate, explaining that he regarded the visit as a personal blessing made possible by Patriarch Daniel’s cordial invitation. He recalled that he had first met the Bulgarian patriarch in 2025 at a pan-Orthodox forum in Thessaloniki, where, he said, the patriarch’s presence had demonstrated love and care for Church unity. He added that, during a break at the conference, Patriarch Daniel had told him he had watched the documentary on St John the Russian produced by the Missionary Service of the Church of Greece in cooperation with the Metropolis of Chalkida, and had suggested organising a screening and discussion in Sofia. Metropolitan Chrysostomos said he accepted readily, describing his impression of Patriarch Daniel as marked by reverence, humility, and a sincere love for the saints.
The metropolitan explained that he and Bishop Nikodimos of Skopelos, who he said served as deputy chair of a pilgrimage centre linked to the shrine of St John the Russian, brought the skufia as a gift to the Bulgarian patriarch, stating that it would remain permanently in the Bulgarian Church. He added that the relics of St David of Euboea were also brought because the saint’s monastery, along with the pilgrimage centre dedicated to St John, represented two of the most important spiritual landmarks of his ecclesiastical province. Metropolitan Chrysostomos said the welcome from Patriarch Daniel had deeply moved the visiting delegation, and he described the turnout of the faithful as especially stirring. He also reported being told that thousands of brochures and small icons had been prepared for distribution, yet still proved insufficient because the number of pilgrims was far greater than expected.
Reflecting on the spiritual meaning of the pilgrimage, Metropolitan Chrysostomos said modern people faced a “loss of memory,” and he argued that an even more serious illness was spiritual forgetfulness and ingratitude toward benefactors, above all toward Jesus Christ, who became human, endured the Cross and death, and by His Resurrection granted eternal life. He was said to have stressed that the Church and her pastors had a duty to preach Christ crucified and risen, and to invite people to know Him through the Divine Liturgy, where believers are united to Him through Holy Communion. In the same spirit, he pointed to the different lives of St John the Russian and St David of Euboea, noting that despite their contrasting paths, both shared one decisive reality: love for Christ. He said this showed that people have different gifts and callings, yet in the Church, gathered around the Liturgy, clergy and laity, young and old, diverse in background, become one family, turning to God as Father and recognising one another as brothers and sisters.
Metropolitan Chrysostomos also addressed anxiety and stress, saying that Christ calls believers to trust that God will provide what is needed, without encouraging laziness and without absolutising material concerns. He added that worry does not solve problems but makes them heavier, and that trust in God is the way out of such inner turmoil. Speaking about holiness in the present day, he recalled his personal acquaintance with St Iakovos (James) Tsalikis, describing him as a grace-filled yet profoundly humble man who tried to conceal his spiritual gifts, served the Divine Liturgy daily, showed mercy generously, and welcomed everyone, no matter their sins, with tenderness and discernment. He recounted that St Iakovos’ generosity was so complete that money passed through his hands without remaining there, because he gave it away to those in need, and he related a story in which empty oil vessels in the monastery were found filled again, an event he interpreted as God’s reward for mercy.
Finally, the metropolitan spoke of contemporary miracles attributed to the saints, saying that countless testimonies were received through letters and direct reports: families longing for children, people suffering severe illnesses, and individuals facing neurological and other conditions. He offered several examples he said were known to him personally, while also emphasising that believers should not reject medical care, calling medicine a gift of God and citing the scriptural exhortation to honour physicians. Concluding, he said his prayer and blessing for Bulgaria, and for every people, was that they would come to know Christ the Saviour, adding that he had seen in Patriarch Daniel a sincere desire for the Bulgarian people to deepen their knowledge of the true faith.
Source: Bulgarian Patriarchate
