Patriarch Daniel of Bulgaria: “We will continue to provide mutual support for the good of our Bulgarian Church”
Newly-elected Patriarch Daniel of Bulgaria delivered an inspiring speech during his enthronement ceremony held yesterday at St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral.
The new Patriarch began, “Today, the holy Orthodox Church in its fullness celebrates the memory of all the saints and especially the Synaxis of the twelve glorious and all-praiseworthy apostles. It is a great and glorious holiday in which the entire people of God on earth, together with the host of saints, rejoice and glorify God for His great glory. This has given us men in the Church so that we may be one – sanctified by the word of truth and united in the love of Christ, so that God may be in us and we in Him, united in complete unity.”
He continued, “Today’s feast day shows us the essence of the saving work of the Lord Jesus Christ and how it is realised in the history of the Church and humanity. It is through the sanctification and transformation, the deification of millions and billions of people through the uncreated grace of the Holy Spirit.”
Patriarch Daniel of Bulgaria emphasised, “In today’s time, confused by the multiplication of our sins, we all need a living and clear testimony of God’s presence, mercy, and love for us. This obliges us in our upcoming ministry to be a support in the faith and life according to God of the spiritual flock entrusted to us, in defending the purity of Christ’s faith and piety, and in encouragement on the way to salvation. Enlightenment in the Orthodox faith and piety will be a main concern in my metropolitan ministry in the glorious Sofia Metropolis, whose capital city bears the name and is under the protection of God’s Wisdom.”
He also stated, “Following the example of my predecessors from recent times, the well-remembered Bulgarian patriarchs Neofit, Maxim, and Cyril, I will strive for unity in Christ and fraternal service with our fellow bishops of the Holy Synod, in a spirit of mutual respect and support in the common care for our spiritual flock. These will be the guiding principles in our joint ministry as head of our Orthodox Church and Holy Synod, to glorify God through the Lord in the Holy Spirit – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.”
Patriarch Daniel expressed his gratitude to the God-loving representatives of the sister Orthodox churches who came to witness their brotherly love in Christ and to support the Bulgarian church in the election of its Primate. He acknowledged His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, along with His Eminence Elder Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon, His Eminence Elder Metropolitan Apostolos of Derkoi, His Eminence Metropolitan Job of Pisidia, His Eminence Metropolitan Maximus of Selyvria, and others.
Finally, he thanked the Metropolitans, members of the Holy Synod, as well as all the members of the IV Patriarchal Electoral Church Council for their trust, fraternal love, and support. He concluded, “I hope and believe that we will continue to provide mutual support for the good of our Orthodox Bulgarian Church and our dear Fatherland!”
Source: Bulgarian Patriarchate
