Balgarianovinite.com In keeping with an ancient Bulgarian tradition, Bulgarian Patriarch and Metropolitan of Sofia Daniil was welcomed on Saturday, with bread and salt by the community of Orthodox Bulgarians at the Bulgarian Exarchate in Istanbul’s Sisli district.
On the third day of his first peaceful visit to Istanbul, at the invitation of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, Patriarch Daniil visited the local community of Orthodox Bulgarians in the city.
The meeting with the Patriarch and his delegation, which included metropolitans Anthony of Western and Central Europe, John of Varna and Veliko Preslav, Naum of Ruse, Cyprian of Stara Zagora, Gregory of Vratsa, Pachomius of Vidin, and Bishop Gerasim of Melnik, Chief Secretary of the Holy Synod, took place at the Church of St John of Rila at the Bulgarian Exarchate. Among the official guests were Vice President Iliana Iotova, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) Director General Kiril Valchev, Consul General of Bulgaria in Istanbul Vassil Valchev, Tourism Attache Teodora Taskova and consular officials.
The Bulgarian Patriarch was welcomed by members of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation of the Orthodox Churches of the Bulgarian Exarchate in Istanbul, headed by Dimitri Yotef, as well as by the priest of the Bulgarian churches in Turkiye, Archimandrite Charalambos Nichev.
Patriarch Daniil warmly addressed the gathering and as a sign of gratitude to the Bulgarian community, presented the Church of St John of Rila with a relic of Saint Patriarch Euthymius of Tarnovo.
“It is a great blessing for us today to be at the Bulgarian Exarchate, in this chapel dedicated to Saint John of Rila, a holy place connected with so many aspirations, prayers and struggles for achieving the independence of the Bulgarian Church through the Bulgarian Exarchate. Thankfully, those hardships have been overcome, and today we have the opportunity not only to worship together with the Bulgarian community, but also with all Orthodox Christians in this majestic city, striving to ensure that nothing divides us, seeking ways to clarify difficulties, and trying to fulfil God’s will, to be united in truth, faith and love,” Patriarch Daniil said.
In his address, he emphasised gratitude to the predecessors of Bulgarian national and spiritual life, who devoted their strength and lives to the good of the Church, the people and the homeland, helping today’s generations to follow their path, highlighting the legacy of Patriarch Euthymius.
On behalf of the Bulgarian community in Istanbul, Dimitri Yotef presented Patriarch Daniil with a staff adorned with gilded inlays as a commemorative gift marking his visit to the Bulgarian Exarchate.
Theology professor Ivan Zhelev, former head of the Directorate of Religious Affairs, who is closely connected with the Bulgarian Exarchate, shared his impressions of Patriarch Daniil’s visit to Istanbul with BTA.
“I have been to the Bulgarian Exarchate in Istanbul many times, and we have always supported the Bulgarian community in this Bosphorus city in every way we could, because it deserves it. But this visit is different. This year’s feast of the Iron Church will be remembered for the visit of Patriarch Daniil and the Divine Liturgy. It is a very meaningful and fortunate coincidence, because according to the unwritten rules of Orthodoxy, a patriarch should visit all Orthodox Churches, starting with the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and he arrived here precisely on the feast of St Stephen of the Bulgarian community. Thus, he is not only fulfilling a protocol obligation, known as a peaceful visit, dedicated to peace between Churches and among people, but also visiting the Bulgarian community. It is truly moving, as the Psalm says: “How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together,” understood here in the broader sense of people living together,” Zhelev told BTA.
According to him, a particularly strong impression was made by the emphasis Patriarch Daniil placed in his messages on spirituality and the spiritual message of the Christian faith. “I must especially note that Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew showed great attention to this visit. Today, he came to the Bulgarian Exarchate, to be with the Bulgarian community, to share in the joy of his brother, Bulgarian Patriarch Daniil, as we say in the language of the Church,” Zhelev added.
The first peaceful visit of Bulgarian Patriarch Daniil to Istanbul concludes Sunday. Patriarch Daniil Meets Orthodox Bulgarian Community at the Bulgarian Exarchate in Istanbul 2025 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2025-12-27 17:56:17 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
