On May 12, on the occasion of International Nurses Day, Patriarch Daniel of Bulgaria conducted a prayer service for healthcare professionals at the Patriarchal Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky.
Before the start of the service, he told the media that nurses and physicians are “on the front line of human suffering, human trials, and humanity’s struggle for health and life”. He said that the foundation of successful treatment lies in humanity, faith, and devoted care for those who are suffering.
“Today, we pray to the Lord to strengthen all our nursing colleagues in their noble calling,” said Patriarch Daniel. He also said that healthcare workers are God’s co-workers, “who is the physician of the souls and bodies of mankind”.
It should be noted that, in 2024, the Holy Synod decided to hold an annual prayer service for Orthodox healthcare workers, following a proposal by the Head of the Military Medical Academy, Major General Prof. Dr Ventsislav Mutafchiyski. This sacred service has already been incorporated into the ecclesiastical calendar and is celebrated in all Bulgarian Orthodox Church dioceses. The initiative is an expression of spiritual support for healthcare workers amid the growing nursing staff shortage crisis and the declining number of young people entering the profession.
At the end of the service, Patriarch Daniel emphasised the importance of faith in God and the noble vocation of those working in healthcare. He also addressed the issue of euthanasia, stating that, for Orthodox Christians and Orthodox healthcare professionals, assisted dying is unacceptable.
“Our Orthodox faith teaches us that even the most severe trials in a person’s life have their own meaning,” the Patriarch said, referring to Jesus Christ as a model of true love and care for humanity.
Major General Prof. Dr. Ventsislav Mutafchiyski and representatives of the Military Medical Academy administration attended the prayer service, as did nurses and staff from various healthcare institutions. At the end of the service, Professor Mutafchiyski thanked Patriarch Daniel for his prayers for physicians and healthcare professionals in Bulgaria. The hymns were performed by the Patriarchal Cathedral’s mixed choir and the children’s choir “Saint Seraphim of Sofia”.
