Patriarch of Bulgaria: Many families are breaking apart because people have fallen away from faith

On the eve of the Feast of All Bulgarian Saints, Patriarch Daniel of Bulgaria celebrated Festal Vespers at the Metropolitan Cathedral of St. Nedelya in Sofia.

Concelebrating were Fr. Petar Slavov, chairman of the parish council of the cathedral, members of the cathedral clergy, clergy from Sofia, and Deacon Yulian Petkov.

The hymns were chanted by the cathedral choir under the direction of Prof. Miroslav Popsavov, together with members of the clergy.

At the conclusion of Vespers, a prayer service for the family was offered. Addressing the faithful, Patriarch Daniel emphasized the importance of the Bulgarian saints as examples of faith and witnesses to the Gospel. He noted that many saints from the Bulgarian people had not only enlightened their own nation but had also contributed to the Christianization of other Slavic peoples.

“Christ’s light and holy life are well known to the Bulgarian people,” he said, adding that the land of Bulgaria had been sanctified by the lives of thousands of saints. He urged the faithful not only to honor their memory but also to imitate their faith and way of life.

Referring to a family march taking place in Sofia later that day, Patriarch…