On the eve of May 6th – the Feast of Saint George – Patriarch Daniel of Bulgaria officiated a festive Vespers service with Artoklasia at the rotunda church in the capital, dedicated to Saint George the Great Martyr and Trophy-Bearer.
Concelebrating with him were Archimandrite Ioannis – Protosyncellus of the Holy Metropolis of Sofia; Economos Ioannis Koukov – head of the church; Economos Petros Slavov; Protopresbyter Vladimir Tishchuk – head of the Russian church-dependency of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker in Sofia; Protopresbyter Georgios Spasov; and Priest Spyridon Nikolov (of the Diocese of Lovech), along with Hierodeacons Bartholomew and Spyridon (of the Western and Central European Diocese).
The ecclesiastical hymns were performed by the church chanters under the direction of Mrs. Penka Borisova and Mr. Georgi Ivanov.
At the conclusion of the service, the Patriarch delivered a homily on the martyrdom of the Holy Martyrs:
“After the Holy Apostles – the direct disciples and eyewitnesses of the earthly life, preaching, and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ – the martyrs are the most radiant witnesses (even though most of them had not seen the Lord in the flesh) to the grace-filled life which the Lord brought and offered to all who desire to be with God and labor for their salvation. This grace was manifested most clearly in the courage of the martyrs and in their endurance of suffering in the same manner as the Lord Himself – with inner peace, cleansed from all fear and passion, for, according to many testimonies, the sufferings they endured purified their hearts and souls.
We see a centenarian elder, such as Saint Charalambos, experiencing the grace that God granted him at the very moment of his tortures, enduring them painlessly, with great patience and boldness. Many people view Christians as timid or cowardly, misunderstanding the virtue of Christian humility; but in the martyrs we see, at once, both great humility and gentleness, as well as courage and decisiveness.”
Regarding the example of Saint George the Great Martyr, Patriarch Daniel remarked:
“We see the Saint, though young in age, already knowledgeable in the truths of the faith and experienced in the spiritual life – which surpasses all worldly goods. Wealth and social status, though considered great advantages by the unbelieving world, could not turn him away from his faith.
Saint George boldly confessed his allegiance to the Holy Church and was ready not only to part with his possessions and social standing but also to suffer martyrdom. That is why martyrdom stands as the clearest testimony to the life in Christ. The Holy Church is founded precisely upon the testimony of their blood, for in it is revealed the power of Christ and of His Resurrection. The profound peace, boldness, and gentleness of the martyrs moved the hearts and consciences of all present; to the Romans, it was a spectacle, but to the Christians – it was proof of the truth of faith. In the martyrdom of Saint George we see his great humility – remaining faithful to God, not retaliating when insulted, mocked as a Christian, or tortured. His gentleness was not cowardice but, on the contrary, great courage and resolve, and at the same time – deep humility before God. Only ignorance of the faith and lack of spiritual experience can lead to a different interpretation.”
Speaking on the introduction of a new school subject tentatively titled “Virtues and Religion,” he noted:
“Objections come mainly from those who say: ‘We don’t want to teach our children passivity, but critical thinking, autonomy, and initiative.’ In modern society, there is a distorted perception of what Christianity teaches. There is a lack of understanding that humility is not submissiveness or compromise in the face of social injustices. As Christians, we distinguish between good and evil; we do not accept evil, but through God’s grace, we can endure it and forgive, while remaining firm in the faith. This is called gentleness.
If in times of peace we have not cultivated a personal relationship with God, then in times of hardship, indecision and fear are more likely to prevail. But if we strive daily to abstain from the various forms of sin and wage our spiritual struggle, then in difficult moments the grace of God will descend, strengthen us, and the love for God will overcome our fears. The power of Christ will be revealed in us, and we will become witnesses of the faith and of the resurrected life. May God grant that, through our lives, His name may be glorified and that even today there may be people who wish to join themselves to Christ and the Christian community. The Christian life is not merely a good and virtuous way of life. It is a spiritual struggle, which no Christian can avoid.
This spiritual struggle has as its goal that grace may continue to dwell in our hearts. If the flame of love for God does not burn within us, if there is no repentance and purification of the heart, we cannot bear witness to this grace-filled life. Without these, there is no Christianity,” His Holiness emphasized.
On our attitude toward the relics of Saint George the Great Martyr, Patriarch Daniel explained:
“In this church, relics of the Saint are permanently kept. There are also many monasteries – in Hadzhidimovo, in Skrino, and elsewhere – where holy relics of Saint George are preserved. When we fail to appreciate what we have, we are ready to travel to Jerusalem or Nigrita, while here we possess portions of the same sacred relics. Are some relics more miraculous than others? Then what is the nature of our faith? We ourselves do not believe that we can receive this grace here, among us. Therefore, let us revere and honor what we have, and let us pray to the Saint, that according to our faith, we may receive what we ask for.”
