Patr. Bartholomew Visits Bulgaria for St. John of Rila Celebrations

SOFIA, BULGARIA — Patr. Bartholomew of Constantinople is visiting Bulgaria from October 17–19, 2026, for celebrations marking the 1,150th anniversary of the birth of St. John of Rila and the 1,080th anniversary of the saint’s repose.

Upon arriving in Sofia on October 17, Patr. Bartholomew was received at the Synodal Palace by Patr. Daniel of Bulgaria and members of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church’s Holy Synod. A prayer service was held in the chapel of St. Tsar Boris-Michael, followed by addresses from the two primates.

Patr. Daniel welcomed the delegation from Constantinople and emphasized the importance of preserving the Orthodox Church’s spiritual inheritance. He described the relationship between the two Churches as rooted in shared faith and history, expressing hope that the visit would strengthen their fraternal ties.

“May this fraternal meeting of our memory and love in the Lord be yet another testimony of our unity and oneness in the faith of our fathers,” Patr. Daniel said.

In his response, Patr. Bartholomew spoke of the responsibility to preserve and transmit the Church’s sacred Tradition. “We bring with us the experience of the holy great Church of Christ, which was built up by the joint action of God's grace and through the labors of our venerable predecessors, who handed down this experience to us unadulterated and unchangingly faithful to the Gospel commandments,” he said.

On October 18, Patr. Bartholomew and Patr. Daniel participated in the Divine Liturgy at Sofia’s St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. In his homily, Patr. Daniel reflected on the relationship between faithfulness to Tradition and ecclesiastical unity, declaring, “True love does not depart from the truth, and true fidelity to the faith does not allow enmity and bitterness between brothers.”

The visit concluded on October 19 with a joint Divine Liturgy at Rila Monastery, one of Bulgaria’s most important spiritual centers, honoring St. John of Rila. The celebrations also included musical events commemorating the saint and his enduring significance in Bulgarian Orthodox life.

Previously, the UOJ reported that Georgia celebrated 1,700 years of Christianity as the state religion.