Bulgarians in Brussels mark St George’s Day

For the first time in Brussels, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church and Bulgarian servicemen serving with the country’s missions to NATO and the European Union came together to celebrate St George’s Day.

Observed on May 6, it is one of the most cherished holidays in Bulgaria — honouring Saint George, the Day of Valour and the official holiday of the Bulgarian Armed Forces.

The Orthodox Cathedral of the Holy Archangels in Brussels filled with Bulgarians who had come together to pray, light candles and share in the spirit of the feast.

Metropolitan Anthony of Western and Central Europe concelebrated the Divine Liturgy alongside Metropolitan Nikolay of Plovdiv, Metropolitan Athenagoras of Belgium, and Bulgarian and Greek clergy.

“The feeling is very special. And because some of us are also celebrating our name day, the feast becomes even more meaningful,” said one Bulgarian woman after the service. “I prayed for health and good fortune. May everyone be healthy and happy, and may there be abundance for all people throughout the year.”

Another worshipper described how emotional the service was:

“I could feel my heart beating and my soul being cleansed,” she said. “May Saint George watch over us all and grant health, happiness, and good fortune to our children and ourselves. May there be peace and calm for everyone.”

“It is an unforgettable and deeply moving experience for us,” another Bulgarian woman said. “We are from the military club in Asenovgrad and we are marking the feast with great excitement.”

Many Bulgarian servicemen also attended the Divine Liturgy, alongside Lieutenant General Yavor Mateev, head of Bulgaria’s permanent diplomatic mission to NATO in Brussels. Greeting those gathered for the feast, he congratulated his colleagues and called for peace and unity.

“A blessed feast to all Bulgarians,” Mateev said. “This is a celebration for the whole nation. Happy feast day to the men and women in uniform, and to all those celebrating their name day.

Today, here in the heart of Europe, far from Bulgaria — although our homeland is wherever we are — we have tried to mark this day with dignity and a sense of duty and responsibility.

The challenges before us today are immense. We live in difficult times, but our forefathers did not live in easy times either. May God grant us peace. May we pass through every trial and every joy with faith and love. May we continue to believe in our own strength and never stop striving for progress and innovation.”

He said that the rapidly changing international security environment required constant adaptation and closer cooperation with NATO allies.

“We must continuously improve our operational interoperability with our NATO partners, with whom we jointly safeguard both Bulgaria’s security and that of NATO and the European Union,” he said. “We are constantly working to improve ourselves.”

Addressing Bulgarian servicemen directly, Mateev said each person’s contribution mattered.

“Every one of them should know they are important,” he said. “Their efforts are valued and each contributes to the common cause. We must give our very best every day. We must strengthen our operational and combat readiness, and prepare for the worst-case scenario — war — with one purpose only: to be strong enough to preserve peace and prevent conflict.”

He also emphasised NATO’s defensive role.

“NATO is a defensive alliance,” he said. “We must maintain a level of readiness and defence that helps preserve peace.”

After the Divine Liturgy, Metropolitan Anthony addressed the congregation gathered in the cathedral courtyard, urging them to convey a united message of peace.

“Today we celebrated the Divine Liturgy to pray for the unity of the Orthodox Church and for peace throughout the world — something especially needed in our time,” he said. “We live in troubled times and, as we mark the Day of the Bulgarian Army — a day of valour, courage and dignity — we must reflect on how necessary peace is, here and now. Lasting peace cannot always be imposed through force. We have seen what has been happening in recent months. That is why we pray for peace to prevail, because peace is needed by all of us. It concerns both those who are near and those far away, those who fight and those who remain on the sidelines, because the shadow of war and its consequences quickly reaches everyone within the common family of the European Union.”

He said that the gathering in Brussels had special significance.

“Here, in the heart of Europe, we are joyful and grateful that we can come together to send a shared message of peace — the peace that Christ left us,” said Metropolitan Antony. “Peace is the foundation of the well-being of every nation. First, we must find peace within our own souls, and then allow that peace to shape our relationships with others, so that together we may become one in Christ.”

Editor: Elena Karkalanova