Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomaios I of Constantinople traveled to Bulgaria from Saturday to Monday, culminating in a joint Divine Liturgy with Bulgarian Patriarch Daniil at the historic Rila Monastery, Kathpress reported.
Bulgaria is currently observing both the 1,150th anniversary of the birth and the 1,080th death anniversary of Saint John of Rila, the nation’s spiritual patron.
A Call for Orthodox Unity in Rila
Speaking at the Rila Monastery alongside Bartholomaios, Patriarch Daniil stressed the urgent need to maintain unity across the Orthodox world as institutional fractures grow. “In these times, church unity is more than ever necessary,” Daniil stated, adding that church leaders carry a heavy responsibility to seek reconciliation in the face of ongoing conflicts, according to the OrthodoxTimes portal.
Bartholomaios countered notions of absolute administrative rule by defining Constantinople’s primacy in global Orthodoxy not as an authority of domination, but as an authority of service. The Ecumenical Patriarch expressed satisfaction with his first official visit to Bulgaria since Daniil’s enthronisation in 2024. He recalled Daniil’s return visit to the Phanar in Istanbul at Christmas 2025 and their joint summer excursion to Imbros, his native Turkish island home.
Bartholomaios assured Daniil of Constantinople’s steady support, noting that bilateral ties between the two churches are visibly strengthening. He called for a sincere dialogue guided strictly by mutual respect and reconciliation.
Historical Liturgies and Cultural Openings
The multi-day itinerary began on Saturday at the National Kulturpalast in Sofia, where Bartholomaios opened an exhibition titled “Mount Athos in Sofia” featuring works by the late Greek-Austrian artist and architect Efthymios Varlamis, who lived from 1942 to 2016. On Sunday, both patriarchs celebrated a Divine Liturgy at Sofia’s Alexander Newski-Cathedral, offering joint prayers for global peace and inner-church unity. The schedule also included a memorial service for Patriarch Neophyt, who passed away in 2024.
| Event / Date | Location | Key Participants |
|---|---|---|
| Exhibition Opening (Saturday) | National Kulturpalast, Sofia | Patriarch Bartholomaios I |
| Divine Liturgy (Sunday) | Alexander Newski-Cathedral, Sofia | Patriarch Bartholomaios I & Patriarch Daniil |
| Divine Liturgy (Monday) | Rila Monastery | Patriarch Bartholomaios I & Patriarch Daniil |
The Moscow-Constantinople Divide
The Moscow Patriarchate severed eucharistic communion with Constantinople and all other Orthodox bodies that chose to recognize the independent Orthodox Church of Ukraine. In this geopolitical chess match, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church has deliberately steered a neutral course to maintain open channels with both sides.
With no clear resolution in sight for the innerorthodox conflict, Bartholomaios and Daniil’s public display of cooperation highlights the efforts to maintain unity amid growing divisions.
