The feast day of January 6 began in the capital with a solemn Divine Liturgy celebrated by Patriarch Daniel of Bulgaria.
Before the service, he told journalists that Epiphany is “one of the greatest Christian feasts and a day that carries deep spiritual meaning for believers.” He added: “There is no person who has not asked: who am I, why do I live? There is no person who has not wanted God to reveal Himself. And this is the answer to that longing placed within us, and it is also a manifestation of love, because God has not abandoned us.” The Patriarch also recalled the Gospel event at the River Jordan, emphasizing that the Lord not only reveals Himself but also shows the way He reaches our hearts.
Concelebrating with Patriarch Daniel were Bishop Gerasim of Melnik, chief secretary of the Holy Synod, Bishop Yoan of Branitsa, first vicar of the Metropolitan of Sofia, Stavrophore Economos Kostadin Gavrilov, Protopresbyter Antoniy Milushev, and Archdeacons Ivan Petkov and Deyan Korunoski. Many Orthodox Christians approached the Holy Mysteries and received Holy Communion.
After the Divine Liturgy, the Patriarch led the Epiphany water blessing in front of the Patriarchal Cathedral. At 11:00 a.m., following established tradition, the battle flags of the Bulgarian Army were also blessed in the square in front of the church-monument.
Attending the prayer service were the country’s President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Rumen Radev, National Assembly Chair Raya Nazaryan, Vice President Iliyana Yotova, Sofia Mayor Vasil Terziev, as well as statesmen, politicians, ambassadors, public figures, and dozens of Orthodox Christians.
The festive day continued with a Great Blessing of the Waters at the lake in the Druzhba residential district, performed by Bulgarian Patriarch Daniil.
Patriarch of Bulgaria: Epiphany reveals the path from God to the human heart
Patriarch Daniel described the feast of Epiphany as “a great mercy of God,” emphasizing that God reveals Himself to humanity in response to the deep longing placed in every person to seek Him and ask, “Who is God?”
He underlined that this divine revelation is an expression of God’s love, noting that God did not abandon humanity but, in the person of “the Only-begotten Son of God,” became man and overcame the barrier between God and humanity that arose after the Fall. As he stressed, God is “a God who saves” and “a God who is accessible,” who Himself “stretched out His hand” and revealed the path that leads to Him.
Referring to the practical implications of this revelation, the Patriarch said that the grace received in Holy Baptism becomes active in believers only when it is lived out through concrete actions.
Citing the call of St John the Baptist to share clothing and food with those in need, he explained that people from every walk of life were shown a way to “make straight the paths of the Lord” in their hearts. He concluded by stressing that God “does not ask the impossible” of humanity, but calls believers to live according to His righteousness, mercy, and brotherly love.
Photos and video: Angel Karadakov
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