First Divine Liturgy for the new Patriarch Daniel of Bulgaria
On the 1st of July 2024, in the Orthodox Church of Bulgaria, in addition to the feast day of Saints Cosmas and Damianos the Holy Unmercenaries, the memory of the translation of the holy relics of Saint John of the Rila Monastery was also commemorated.
Yesterday, Monday, 1 July 2024, a festive Inter-Orthodox Divine liturgy was held at the Cathedral of Saint Alexander Nevsky in Sofia, presided over by His Beatitude, the new Patriarch Daniel of Bulgaria.
It should be mentioned that the new Primate of the Church of Bulgaria, upon entering the Cathedral addressing the journalists, among other things emphasised: “The Patriarch is the person who should embody the unity of the Church of Bulgaria and the people. Therefore, Church means unity and this we must serve.”
Also, according to the Bulgarian media, the program mentioned a joint service of the new Patriarch with His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, who arrived in Sofia on Saturday at the invitation of the Locum Tenens of the Throne and candidate, Metropolitan Grigori of Vratsi.
Both the vicars of the Cathedral and the Byzantine choir had been informed about the liturgy of the two Primates, but nothing of the sort happened.
On Monday morning, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew did not make his way to the Cathedral, but sent a representative to participate in the Divine Liturgy.
Furthermore, the Bulgarian media report that Patriarch Bartholomew did not attend the dinner in honour of the new Patriarch of Bulgaria, but left by plane for Constantinople.
Information indicates that in this way the Ecumenical Patriarch may have wanted to send a message to the newly elected Patriarch of Bulgaria, who has repeatedly criticised the Ecumenical Patriarchate for “its anti-canonical actions in favour of the schismatics in Ukraine.”
It is worth noting that Patriarch Daniel during the reading of the Diptychs mentioned Metropolitan Stefanos of Skopje, while he did not mention the Metropolitan Epifaniy of Kyiv.
Finally, the Patriarchal and synodal message to the clergy and the people on the occasion of the holding of the Patriarchal Electoral Ecclesiastical Council was read from the pulpit of the Cathedral by His Grace Bishop Gerasimos of Melenikos – Chief Secretary of the Holy Synod of the Church of Bulgaria.
Photographs: Patriarchate of Bulgaria
Source: romfea
