At midnight on April 20, 2025, Patriarch Daniel of Bulgaria presided over the Paschal Divine Liturgy at the Patriarchal Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky in Sofia. The faithful filled the cathedral and its square to celebrate the Feast of Feasts—Christ’s Resurrection.
During the Paschal Divine Liturgy, His Holiness Patriarch Daniel read the Patriarchal and Synodal Paschal Message, which emphasized that the faith of the Church in the miracle of the Resurrection is rooted in personal witness.
“The voice of the Church today remains the voice of the Myrrh-bearing Women—the first witnesses of the Resurrection,” the message proclaims.
It continues: “It is also the voice of the Holy Apostles, who for forty days after Pascha spoke with the Risen Lord and became ‘eyewitnesses of His majesty’ (2 Peter 1:16). It is the voice of the Apostle Thomas, who confessed, ‘My Lord and my God!’ (John 20:28). It is the voice of all the saints who, by Christ’s grace, conquered sin and became partakers in the Resurrection.”
The Church, it concludes, continues to preach the Gospel to all through faith in the Risen Christ and life according to His commandments.
Concelebrating with the Patriarch were Metropolitan Joseph of the USA, Canada, and Australia; Bishop Gerasim of Melnik; Archimandrite Ioan; Protopresbyter Kostadin Gavrilov; Protopresbyter Antoniy Milushev; and protodeacons Ivan Petkov and Deyan Korunovski.
Among the worshippers were Vice President Iliana Yotova, the acting director of the Religious Affairs Directorate Nikola Petkov, politicians, and public figures.
Patriarch Daniel extended heartfelt wishes to all for the feast of the Resurrection—the celebration of celebrations.
