Hawaiian Iveron Icon to Make First Pilgrimage Across Bulgaria

SOFIA, BULGARIA — The wonderworking Myrrh-streaming Hawaiian Iveron Icon of the Mother of God will make its first pilgrimage to Bulgaria from July 31 through Aug. 19, following an invitation from His Holiness Patr. Daniel of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. The visit, organized with the blessing of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR), will bring the icon to cathedrals, monasteries, and parishes across the country.

The icon will arrive at Vasil Levski Airport in Sofia on July 31 before being welcomed at St. Marina Church later that evening. On Aug. 1, it will be received at St. Sophia Church for a Patriarchal Divine Liturgy, followed by a procession to St. Nedelya Metropolitan Cathedral, where it will remain for public veneration through Aug. 5. During its stay in the Sofia Diocese, the icon will also visit Samokov, Ihtiman, and Dupnitsa before continuing across Bulgaria.

From Aug. 6 through Aug. 18, the icon will travel through the dioceses of Nevrokop, Lovech, Vidin, Vratsa, Veliko Tarnovo, Sliven, and Varna and Veliki Preslav before concluding the pilgrimage at the historic Rila Monastery. The delegation accompanying the icon includes Bp. Irenei of London and Western Europe, Fr. Nektarios Yangson, guardian of the icon, and other ROCOR clergy from Europe and the United States. The pilgrimage is expected to draw thousands of faithful seeking to venerate the icon, which has become known worldwide for streaming fragrant myrrh and for numerous accounts of healing and spiritual consolation.

The latest visitation schedule is below.

• July 31, 2026 (Friday)
  • 7:30 p.m. — Reception of the Wonderworking Hawaiian Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos at St. Marina Church, Sofia Metropolis.
• Aug. 1, 2026 (Saturday)
  • 8:30 a.m. — Reception of the Wonderworking Hawaiian Icon at St. Sophia, the Wisdom of God Church, Sofia.
  • 9 a.m. — Patriarchal Divine Liturgy at St. Sophia Church.
  • 10:30 a.m. — Blessing of the Waters for the Feast of the Procession of the Precious Cross.
  • 11 a.m. — Procession with the Precious Cross and the Wonderworking Hawaiian Icon from St. Sophia Church to the Metropolitan Cathedral of St. Nedelya, marking the start of the pilgrimage "The Wonderworker of Rila" to the Rila Monastery.
  • 6 p.m. — Hierarchical Resurrection Vespers.
• Aug. 2, 2026 (Sunday)
  • 9 a.m. — Patriarchal Divine Liturgy.
  • 6 p.m. — Vespers with the Canon to the Most Holy Theotokos.
• Aug. 3, 2026 (Monday)
  • 9 a.m. — Hierarchical Divine Liturgy.
  • 4 p.m. — Departure of the Wonderworking Hawaiian Icon for Samokov.
  • 6 p.m. — Reception of the Icon at the Protection of the Mother of God Monastery, Samokov, followed by Hierarchical Vespers with the Canon to the Most Holy Theotokos.
• Aug. 4, 2026 (Tuesday)
  • 9 a.m. — Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at the Metropolitan Cathedral of St. Nedelya, Sofia.
  • 4 p.m. — Departure of the Wonderworking Hawaiian Icon for Ihtiman.
  • 6 p.m. — Reception of the Icon at the Dormition of the Mother of God Church, Ihtiman, followed by Hierarchical Vespers with the Canon to the Most Holy Theotokos.
• Aug. 5, 2026 (Wednesday)
  • 6 p.m. — Reception of the Wonderworking Hawaiian Icon at St. George Church, Dupnitsa, followed by Festal Hierarchical Vespers.
• Aug. 6–8, 2026
  • Visit to the Nevrokop Diocese.
• Aug. 8–9, 2026
  • Visit to the Lovech Diocese.
• Aug. 9–11, 2026
  • Visit to the Vidin Diocese.
• Aug. 11–12, 2026
  • Visit to the Vratsa Diocese.
• Aug. 12–13, 2026
  • Visit to the Veliko Tarnovo Diocese.
• Aug. 13–14, 2026
  • Visit to the Sliven Diocese.
• Aug. 14–16, 2026
  • Visit to the Diocese of Varna and Veliki Preslav.
• Aug. 17–18, 2026
  • Visit to the Rila Monastery.
• Aug. 19, 2026 (Wednesday)
  • Departure of the Wonderworking Myrrh-streaming Hawaiian Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos from Bulgaria.

Previously, the UOJ reported that Patr. Daniel appealed to the cours in the UOC dissolution case.