The Metropolitan and Patriarch of Sofia and All Bulgaria Daniil extends his diocesan pastoral letter on the beginning of the New 2026/2027 academic year.translated

Esteemed Teachers, Esteemed Parents, Esteemed Students, Beloved Brothers and Sisters,

With heartfelt greetings to all of you on the start of the New 2026/2027 academic year. After the summer break, we are all glad to see each other again – the students have grown another class older, the teachers and parents are more mature. We share your excitement, especially for our youngest ones who are making their first step into school towards the vast field of education.

The thirst for exploration and understanding of the world in which we live is embedded within us since the creation of man. For us Bulgarians, who have made a significant contribution to the development of literature among Slavic peoples, scholarly zeal is one of our traditional virtues, part of our national identity.

Therefore, along with the inspiration and joy felt on the first day of school, we begin this new academic year with a series of important lessons. Following recently announced results from international student assessments and in light of recent incidents of aggression that have shaken our society, the words of Saint Apostle Paul take on deeper meaning: "... having all knowledge (…), if I have not love,..."

Keep any separators exactly where they are.