Balgarianovinite.com At the Bulgarian Exarchate in the Sisli district of Istanbul, the community of Orthodox Bulgarians celebrated Palm Sunday, a Christian holiday preceding Easter.
Representatives of the community’s Radost women’s association – the successor to the first association of Bulgarian women in Istanbul from the last century – welcomed guests and presented them with fresh flowers and willow branches.
A church service was held at the Exarchate Church of St. John of Rila by Archimandrite Haralampi Nichev, who provides spiritual care for the Bulgarian Orthodox community in Istanbul. The service, which lasted over an hour, was well-attended, and the church was filled with people who lit candles for the holiday.
“Today’s feast commemorates the triumphal entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem. People welcomed him with palm branches as a symbol of reverence and joy. In the Bulgarian tradition, palm branches have been replaced with willow branches, which symbolize spring, new life, and rebirth. After entering the city, Jesus Christ healed many sick people. The branches were blessed for good health. On this day, everyone whose name is associated with plants and flowers celebrates their name day. The message of this day is that goodwill, peace, and prosperity are symbols of grace and God’s blessing,” the priest told the congregation.
The service was accompanied by performances by the church choir of the Bulgarian Orthodox community.
Following the church service, lunch was held in the large hall of the Exarchate, organized by the church council of the Bulgarian Exarchate. The meal consisted of fish, in accordance with Christian tradition. The head of the church council, Dimitri Yotef, greeted the Bulgarians of Istanbul on the occasion of the holiday, wishing them health and prosperity, as well as the members of the community celebrating their nameday on Palm Sunday. Together, they cut a large cake prepared especially for Sunday’s celebration.
Yotef also acknowledged and thanked the members of the Bulgarian community for their contribution to preserving the ancient traditions of Bulgarian identity and the Orthodox Christian faith in Istanbul, which they have passed down from generation to generation for many years.
Among the veterans of the Bulgarian community is the conductor of the church choir, Kiryako Lyaze, who shared with BTA the sentiments with which Orthodox Bulgarians in Istanbul celebrate Palm Sunday. “For us, Bulgarians in Istanbul, Palm Sunday is a special holiday because it comes before Christ’s Resurrection. But this holiday marks the end of Lent. According to tradition, we eat fish on this day, and we observe this custom. What do we wish for? Health above all, that there be no sorrow or pain, and that love, happiness, and good fortune accompany our days. Holy Week begins on Monday, during which there will be services in the church in the morning and evening. On Thursday we will be dyeing eggs, and on Saturday night we will celebrate the First Resurrection at St. Stephen’s Church on the shores of the Golden Horn, and on Sunday we will celebrate the Second Resurrection,” he explained. Orthodox Bulgarian Community in Istanbul Marks Palm Sunday 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-04-05 14:48:52 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law