From Edinburgh to Sofia: Bulgaria Welcomes Back Lost Church Relic

The Bulgarian Consulate in Edinburgh has received a valuable book that left the country by unknown means and is believed to have significant historical value. We did our utmost to ensure the artefact would return to its homeland swiftly, be handed over to the authorities in Sofia and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and, following evaluation by specialists, find a place in an appropriate spiritual centre. This will make this treasure accessible to people in Bulgaria and abroad,' the consulate wrote on Facebook.

The donated book is a Typikon (Greek: Τυπικόν), a liturgical manual used in the Orthodox Church. It sets out the order, rules and sequence of services throughout the year, detailing what is read, sung and performed on each day and feast.

The Typikon covers daily services such as Vespers, Matins, and the canonical Hours. It also provides guidance for major feasts, overlapping celebrations (for example, when a Sunday coincides with a feast day), fasting rules, liturgical particularities and instructions for singers and clergy. It ensures that Orthodox worship follows a consistent order everywhere, acting as a “handbook” for priests and chanters.

The document was consecrated by several prominent 19th‑century Bulgarian clerics: Grigoriy of Dorostol and Cherven, Metropolitan Dositey of Samokov and Metropolitan Konstantin of Vratsa (born Konstantin Popdimitrov Malinkov).

Editor: Miglena Ivanova