Patr. Daniel Welcomed at Mt. Athos on First Visit as Bulgarian Patriarch

MT. ATHOS — Bulgarian Patriarch Daniel began his first visit to Mt. Athos as head of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church on October 21, embarking on a four-day pilgrimage to the monastic republic at the invitation of the brotherhood of the Bulgarian Monastery of St. George Zograf. The visit includes meetings with Athonite monastic leaders, veneration of revered icons and relics, and participation in the feast of the 26 Zografou Martyrs.

Patr. Daniel was accompanied by Metr. Seraphim of Nevrokop, Metr. Gregory of Vratsa, Bp. Gerasim of Melnik, chief secretary of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church’s Holy Synod, and Bp. Kliment of Levski, vicar to the Metropolitan of the USA, Canada, and Australia. Archimandrite Epiphanius, Protodeacon Ivan Petkov, and Dcn. Simeon Borisov also joined the delegation. Anton Markov, Bulgaria’s consul general in Thessaloniki, attended the welcoming ceremony, while Metr. Apostolos of Miletus of the Ecumenical Patriarchate accompanied the Bulgarian pilgrims as an honored guest.

The Patriarch’s first stop was Karyes, the administrative capital of Mt. Athos, where he was received by Elder George of Vatopedi Monastery, the Protos of the Holy Mountain, and members of the Holy Community. Representatives of the monasteries of Koutloumousiou, Karakallou, and Stavronikita were among those present. The Patriarch also met Alkiviadis Stefanos, the governor of Mt. Athos.

At the central church of the Dormition of the Mother of God, known as the Protaton, Patr. Daniel and the accompanying clergy participated in a prayer service and venerated the miraculous icon of the Mother of God “It Is Truly Meet” (Axion Estin). Archimandrite George welcomed the Patriarch on behalf of the Athonite fathers, describing the visit as an opportunity to renew the historical and spiritual ties between Mt. Athos and the Bulgarian Church.

Patr. Daniel expressed his gratitude for the warm reception and spoke of his emotion at visiting the Holy Mountain and its monasteries for the first time as patriarch. He reflected on the holiness associated with the territory, the protection attributed to the Mother of God through Her miraculous icons, and the centuries of ascetic life and prayer practiced by Athonite monks. He also emphasized Bulgaria’s longstanding connections with Mt. Athos through pilgrims and benefactors who support its monasteries.

The delegation subsequently visited Iveron Monastery, where Patr. Daniel venerated the miraculous icon of the Mother of God, the Portaitissa, or Gatekeeper. The visit continued at the Cell of St. Nicholas of Myra, known as Bourazeri, one of the largest and best-known monastic cells on Mt. Athos. Affiliated with Hilandar Monastery, the cell is dedicated to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and is known for its iconography, sacred painting, and spiritual and educational activities.

At Bourazeri, the Patriarch was welcomed by the brotherhood, led by its elder, Hieromonk Arsenios, together with Archimandrite Methodios, abbot of Hilandar Monastery. Following a prayer service and addresses, the monks introduced Patr. Daniel and his delegation to the cell’s daily obediences, liturgical rule, and spiritual life. The visitors also venerated holy relics and other sacred objects preserved at the cell.

The Patriarch then received a solemn welcome at Zografou Monastery, dedicated to St. George the Victorious. His visit marked the first time in approximately half a century that a Bulgarian patriarch had visited the Slavic-Bulgarian monastery; the previous visit was made by the late Patr. Maxim in the 1970s. The monastery’s abbot, Archimandrite Gabriel, and the brotherhood greeted Patr. Daniel before accompanying him in a liturgical procession into the main church, or katholikon.

Inside the katholikon, a brief prayer service was held, after which Patr. Daniel venerated the monastery’s miraculous icons of St. George and its holy relics. Archimandrite Gabriel expressed the brotherhood’s spiritual joy at welcoming the head of their mother Church. The Patriarch, in turn, thanked the monks for inviting him to participate in the celebration honoring the 26 Zografou Martyrs, who were killed for their defense of the Orthodox faith in 1274.

The festive all-night vigil commemorating the martyrs was scheduled to begin on October 22, with Patr. Daniel presiding over the services. The broader visit, continuing through October 24, also includes meetings with the Holy Community, Mt. Athos’s supreme administrative, legislative, executive, and judicial body, and further opportunities to strengthen the historic spiritual relationship between the Bulgarian Orthodox Church and the monastic republic.

Previously, the UOJ reported that Patr. Daniel awarded the Order of St. John of Rila to Metr. Cyprian.