Balgarianovinite.com Bulgarian Patriarch and Sofia Metropolitan Daniil was among the speakers at an event held at the Rila Monastery library Tuesday, for the launch of the new issue of BTA’s LIK magazine, paying tribute to St. John of Rila. “We congratulate all our compatriots on the great feast of St. John of Rila. This year marks 1,080 years since the saint passed from temporal life to eternal life, toward which he had strived throughout his life. He received such great boldness and such great grace from God that for 1,080 years now St. John of Rila has been an undisputed authority for every person who has come into contact with his life, visited this place and had the opportunity to see with their own eyes and touch with their own hands, to bow before his incorruptible body, his holy relics, and to feel and carry in their souls some of the mercy, grace and blessing that the saint asks for on behalf of us all,” said the head of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.
This year marks 1,080 years since the repose of the saint. It also marks 1,150 years since 876, the year in which he is believed to have been born.
The LIK is being held at Rila Monastery with a video link with BTA national press clubs in Bulgaria and abroad.
“I am convinced that we cannot fully comprehend this great and magnificent blessing that St. John of Rila is for all of us,” Patriarch Daniil said. He noted that throughout all the upheavals that the Bulgarian people and state have gone through, Rila Monastery has never been abandoned. It was the first pan-Bulgarian institution to be restored after the first decades of Ottoman rule, following the fall of Bulgaria under Ottoman rule. Since the transfer of St. John of Rila’s relics in 1469 and to this day, it has been a centre of attraction for all people, the Patriarch said.
Kings came to St. John of Rila during his earthly life, as did clergy, rulers and people from all walks of life with all kinds of problems, during Byzantine rule, Ottoman rule and militant atheism.
He added that this has given strength to the Bulgarian people throughout the years.
“One thing is indisputable: St. John of Rila is a unifier, a centre of unity for our entire people, a source of hope and spiritual assistance, an example that points the way in our lives – how to pass through trials in a way that is beneficial to our souls and how to reach the Kingdom of Heaven,” the Patriarch said.
He wished that St. John of Rila would always be present in people’s prayers and supplication, and that they would turn to him for help, support, guidance and enlightenment of their minds and hearts. He also urged Bulgarians to testify in our time that they are united, that they know, love and honour the saint, and that they cherish and love the Rila Monastery, which he founded and entrusted to them.
“Then we will truly see the work of unification, the work of unity that St. John of Rila accomplishes,” Patriarch Daniil said.
Patriarch Daniil thanked BTA and its Director General, Kiril Valchev, for dedicating the August issue of LIK to St. John of Rila. He said: “Perhaps there is no other event or time when so many Bulgarians come together to celebrate on Sunday, the day we commemorate the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. And if this were not covered, the least we can say is that it would be unfair, and we thank you for understanding and appreciating the significance of what takes place in Orthodox churches and for bringing it to the attention of the general public. This is evident both in the number of views and in viewers’ reactions, which show that church news is by no means less interesting to our fellow Bulgarians. In this way, the benefits of faith become accessible to a wider circle of people and to the general public.”
Also attending the event at Rila Monastery were Bishop Eulogius of Adrianople, Hegumen of Rila Monastery; Metropolitan Seraphim of Nevrokop; and theologian Prof. Ivan Zhelev, among others. Patriarch Daniil: St. John of Rila Is a Source of Hope and Spiritual Strength 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-08-18 14:47:00 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
