Orthodox Christians in Bulgaria celebrate the Resurrection of Christ

The Bulgarian Patriarch and Metropolitan of Sofia, Daniil, led the service announcing the feast of the Resurrection of Christ at the Patriarchal Cathedral “St. Alexander Nevsky” in Sofia. The Holy Fire, which arrived from Jerusalem, was brought into the cathedral. A Bulgarian airline transported the Holy Fire from Bucharest to Timișoara and, on its return to Sofia, also carried it to “Vasil Levski” Airport, the Bulgarian Patriarchate reported.

Sliven welcomed the holiday with a solemn liturgy in all churches in the city. The newest one—“St. Petka” - was filled with hundreds of residents who took the Holy Fire home with hope for peace and understanding.

In Bansko, Orthodox Christians from Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Greece, and Serbia filled the “Holy Trinity” church to celebrate the holiday together. On the first day of Easter, men in Bansko gather for the biblical game “Lomada,” a tradition passed down from their ancestors who had visited the Holy Sepulchre, reported Keti Trencheva.

Hundreds of believers filled the four Orthodox churches in Yambol to greet the Resurrection of Christ. All churches and chapels in the Yambol ecclesiastical district are open on the festive day, but due to a lack of priests, not all of them hold festive liturgies, reported BNR correspondent Daniela Kostova.

At the Metropolitan Church “St. Nicholas” in Vratsa, the Paschal service, led by Bishop Grigoriy of Vratsa, also gathered many believers. The Resurrection Gospel reading will be read in different languages, reported BNR correspondent Iva Antonova.

In Veliko Tarnovo, at the Tsarevets Fortress, Bulgarians and many guests from Romania greeted each other with “Christ is Risen” at midnight. Nearly 3,000 Easter eggs and sweet breads (kozunak) will be distributed to residents after the Second Resurrection service, reported BNR correspondent Zdravka Maslyankova.

Edited by Miglena Ivanova