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Saint George - the heavenly patron of Orthodox Bulgarians in Zurich

Radio Bulgaria in English
BULGARIANS ABROAD

Wednesday, 6 May 2026, 10:25

Saint George - the heavenly patron of Orthodox Bulgarians in Zurich

PHOTO facebook.com/eurotopian

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On St George’s Day, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church community in Zurich celebrates its patron feast, having chosen Saint George the Victorious as its heavenly protector.
By tradition, Bulgarians in Zurch gather on the Sunday closest to Saint George’s Day and celebrate together. This year, responding to the invitation of their priest, Protopresbyter Father Yordan Pashev, they assembled on Sunday, 3 May, at the Bulgarian church Maria-Hilf at 64 Leimbachstrasse in Leimbach, a district of Zurich. The church is graciously made available to them by the local Catholic community. There, Father Yordan celebrated the Divine Liturgy.

The celebration continued with a picnic near the church, where, amidst the serenity of nature, members of the community shared a festive meal and companionship.

The Bulgarian Orthodox Church Community “St George the Victorious” in Zurich was founded on 5 September 2009. It forms part of the Western and Central European Diocese of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church and is officially recognized in Switzerland as a member of the Union of Orthodox Churches in the Canton of Zurich. The spiritual care of the faithful, as well as the leadership of the parish, has been entrusted to Father Yordan Pashev - a theologian and a gifted icon painter.
“In the beginning, there were no regular services, and different priests would come,” Father Yordan recalls in a special interview for Radio Bulgaria’s specialized podcast “Bridge of Faith”:

Priest Yordan Pashev

PHOTO Facebook/Jivka Agov

“When I arrived, I had to begin almost from scratch. I turned to the Bulgarian school, met the people, and invited them to attend a service. That was on the Archangel’s All Souls’ Day, in the Serbian church. About fifteen Bulgarian families gathered, and that is how we began. We drew up a plan for regular church services. We have served in many Orthodox churches - thanks to a Swiss theologian, Dr. Peter Vitter, who initiated the establishment of the Association of Orthodox Communities. Through this association, we are able to connect with other Orthodox Christians and to serve together.
It is very difficult to find a church, particularly in Switzerland - and especially in Zurich, one of the most expensive cities in the world. This remains a major obstacle to our growth as a community. Our greatest challenge is that we do not have a place of our own. Fortunately, over the years I have built relationships not only with Orthodox Christians, but also with Catholics and members of the Reformed Church. These good connections allow us to serve in some of their churches. At present, with the new association we serve in Leimbach, in a Catholic church. Ordinarily, rent would be required, but thanks to our good relations, this is waived - we pay only for electricity and water.”

PHOTO facebook.com/eurotopian

One of Father Yordan’s closest collaborators in Zurich is Danail Todorov. Born in Bulgaria’s Silistra, he lived for many years in London and has spent the last five years in Zurich. His wife is Swiss, and he considers the city his home. Professionally engaged in the financial sector, he was ordained a deacon in London and, upon arriving in Zurich, joined Father Yordan in serving the community.

Danail Todorov

PHOTO Darina Grigorova

“In Zurich, we now serve the Divine Liturgy at least twice a month, every two weeks,” Deacon Danail Todorov told Radio Bulgaria in the “Bridge of Faith” podcast. “This is of great importance for our community, as it allows us to gather in the name of God as Orthodox Christians. We also come together on Bulgarian national holidays, which we often celebrate in conjunction with the liturgy - for example, March 3, Bulgaria’s National Day. Such gatherings are essential for preserving our identity as Orthodox Christians - to pray, to find comfort in God, and to seek salvation in Him. The presence of an active church community in Zurich is profoundly significant.”

PHOTO facebook.com/eurotopian

Jivka Agova, chair of the church community, assists Father Yordan in organizing celebrations and gatherings of the Bulgarian community. She notes that, alongside the faithful, there is also a group of people drawn by the cultural dimension of the community’s life:

Jivka Agov

PHOTO Facebook/Jivka Agov

“Our association is not only spiritual in nature. Its aim is also to preserve tradition and culture, and to develop the community. Many people come simply for the social connection, as we are somewhat different from the more reserved Germanic cultures. There is also a language barrier, and here they feel more at home. As I often observe, after the liturgy people remain for another hour or two - talking, asking questions, helping one another, sharing in joy.”

PHOTO Facebook/Jivka Agov

In the forthcoming May edition of the podcast “Bridge of Faith”, to be released on the last Friday of the month, listeners will be able to hear more about the spiritual life of Bulgarians in Zurich. The programme’s team recently visited the community, gathering personal testimonies that reveal the Orthodox church as a unifying centre and a sustaining force for their faith and identity.


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A Bulgarian priest between Cologne and The Hague

Liturgy in Bulgarian brings together Bulgarians in Ireland after long pause



Edited by E. Karkalanova

This publication was created by: Rositsa Petkova