Ecumenical Patriarch to visit Bulgaria on October 17-19

The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew will visit Bulgaria from 17 to 19 October, at the invitation of Patriarch Daniel of Bulgaria.

The visit includes the opening of an exhibition dedicated to Mount Athos in Sofia, a festive Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at the Patriarchal Cathedral of Saint Alexander Nevsky, and a concelebrated Liturgy at the Rila Monastery, while the two Primates will also exchange fraternal greetings as a sign of the close bonds between the two Churches.

The detailed programme of the visit follows: Saturday, October 17 17:00 – Reception of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and his entourage by Patriarch Daniel of Bulgaria and Metropolitans of the Holy Synod, at the Synodal Palace.

18:00 – Opening, by the two Patriarchs, of the monumental exhibition “Mount Athos in Sofia” by the Greek painter Efthymios Varlamis (1942–2016), at the National Palace of Culture. The exhibition is organised under the auspices and with the support of the Holy Metropolis of Sofia and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Republic.

Sunday, October 18 09:00 – Reception of Patriarch Daniel of Bulgaria at the Patriarchal Cathedral of Saint Alexander Nevsky.

09:15…