On May 29, the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord, Patriarch Daniel of Bulgaria, celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Church of the Ascension of the Lord in the Yavorov district of Sofia.
Concelebrating with him were Archimandrite Ioan, Protosyncellus of the Holy Metropolis of Sofia; Economos Methodi Korchev; Economos Valentin Tuparov, Rector of the church; Protopresbyter Kliment Tuparov; Protopresbyter Ivan Ivanov; and Protodeacon Ivan Petkov.
The chants were performed by chanters under the direction of Associate Professor Dr. Lyubomir Ignatov.
Just before the Divine Liturgy, parishioner Nikola was tonsured as a reader, singer, and candlebearer.
At the conclusion of the festive service, the Patriarch delivered a sermon, recalling the events of the Gospel:
“After witnessing such wondrous and miraculous deeds, after enduring the horror and agony of Christ’s suffering, His Crucifixion, and burial—and then His glorious Resurrection, which brought peace and unshakable joy, of which the Lord said: ‘No one will take your joy from you’ (John 16:22)—on the fortieth day, the Holy Apostles also witnessed another great and wondrous event: the Ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ into heaven (cf. Luke 24:50-53).
Through this glorious event, the Lord shows us the destiny He has prepared for humankind. He ‘sat at the right hand of God’ (cf. Heb. 10:11). The liturgical hymns say that the angels were astonished to see human nature—God in His human form—ascending higher than them and seated on God’s throne.
The God-man Jesus Christ said to the Apostles: ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me’ (Matt. 28:18). How great this is! We cannot fully comprehend what it means for God to grant man such authority—to sit at His right hand, to reign, and to become god by grace. From something as small and insignificant as a cell, the human being develops—already carrying within it the wisdom of God.
Scientific and technological progress is not the pinnacle of human development. The true goal lies in heaven, at the right hand of God. That is our destiny—God has prepared a place for us there.
God has placed everything under the Lord’s feet. But man, in his pride, refuses to submit, saying, ‘I am the master of my fate and my future’—until he reaches the grave, and there finds hopelessness. Yet, in Orthodox churches, when we look upward, we see icons attempting to depict the glory God has prepared: ‘To him who overcomes, I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne’ (Rev. 3:21).”
Speaking on human unworthiness and divine calling, Patriarch Daniel added:
“How shall we—sinful as we are—sit at God’s right hand? This is where faith comes in. If we follow Christ, for His words are true. But when we break our connection with God’s Word, when we no longer heed His commandments, we ruin ourselves. Even the most decent man, if he lives without God, becomes spiritually ruined.”
On the meaning of the great feast of the Ascension of Christ, the Patriarch said: “Through today’s event—the Ascension and being seated at the right hand of God—the Lord has shown us our true place: ‘If you want to be where I am, do what I have commanded you.’
Of course, this is possible only through divine grace. The Apostles received the gift of the Holy Spirit, who filled them with Christ’s peace that surpasses all understanding (cf. Phil. 4:7). God opened the minds of simple fishermen—who knew little of the Old Law—to understand the Scriptures, to grasp divine wisdom, and to realize that holiness and purity are the most important things. When we repent and confess, the Holy Spirit cleanses our hearts and prepares a dwelling place for God’s grace. This is the greatest thing in life.
The way to be with God is to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him, for He said: ‘Where I am, there My servant will be also’ (John 12:26).
Today, we celebrate a wondrous event—the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ into heaven. This is not merely a remembrance of a historical event; it is part of the Divine plan for the salvation of the world.
Christ told His disciples: ‘It is better for you that I go away; for if I do not go, the Comforter will not come to you’ (John 16:7). What could be better than Christ being physically among them? And yet He says: ‘Blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see and did not see it, and to hear what you hear and did not hear it’ (Matt. 13:16–17).
The coming of the Holy Spirit is a greater blessing for us. The Holy Spirit prepares us to become a dwelling place of the Holy Trinity, to live in the unbroken peace, love, and joy of God. This is the path for all of us.
Let us therefore be attentive to the One who says: ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me’ (Matt. 28:18). If we do not follow Christ, what hope do we have? Life is hard when lived in self-examination, prayer, fasting, repentance, humility, and denial of pride. But this is the path that truly leads to heaven,” Patriarch Daniel concluded.
At the end of the service, the church rector expressed his gratitude to the Patriarch for his visit and for celebrating the Divine Liturgy. As a token of filial gratitude, he presented Patriarch Daniel with a set of episcopal vestments—epitrachelion and omophorion.
Text: Mihail Taskov I Photos: Vesela Ignatova
Source: Patriarchate of Bulgaria
