Bulgarian and Constantinople Patriarchs attend Liturgy at Sofia Cathedral
Metropolitan Barnabas presided over the Liturgy at St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sofia as part of celebrations marking two anniversaries of St. John of Rila.
On October 18, 2026, Patriarch Daniel of Bulgaria and Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople attended the Divine Liturgy at the Patriarchal Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky in Sofia, where they joined in prayer. The service was presided over by Metropolitan Barnabas of Neapolis and Stavroupolis, UOJ-Bulgaria reports.
Metropolitan Barnabas was joined in concelebration by hierarchs of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church and the Patriarchate of Constantinople, along with clergy from their respective metropolias. The Bulgarian hierarchs included Metropolitans John of Varna, Seraphim of Nevrokop, Naum of Ruse, Gregory of Vratsa, Pachomius of Vidin, Arseny of Sliven, and Jacob of Dorostol.
The festal service was part of celebrations marking the 1,150th anniversary of the birth and the 1,080th anniversary of the repose of St. John of Rila. Patriarch Bartholomew traveled to Bulgaria for the occasion at the invitation of Patriarch Daniel and the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.
The celebrations are set to continue on October 19 at Rila Monastery, where a Divine Liturgy is scheduled with both Primates in attendance.
As the UOJ previously reported, Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople will not concelebrate with BOC Primate Patriarch Daniel during his visit to Bulgaria at the Patriarchal Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky in Sofia.
