An Orthodox family in Switzerland—between finance, pharmaceuticals and eternity

Danail Todorov successfully combines the dynamic pace of corporate life with a spiritual calling. He is a highly qualified expert in corporate strategy and technological innovation, holding a key position in the field of management consulting at the Swiss banking giant UBS. Outside the office, however, Danail serves as a subdeacon and is one of the closest and most devoted assistants to Father Yordan Pashev in his ministry in Zurich.

Born in Silistra, Danail laid the foundations of his education at the University of Economics in Varna, where he earned a Master's degree in Corporate Finance. His drive for professional growth led him to the United Kingdom, where he completed the prestigious Master's program in Strategic Management of Projects at University College London (UCL).

In London, he gained substantial international experience in management consulting, business analysis and banking transformation. For the past five years, the Bulgarian has been living and working in Switzerland, in the cosmopolitan city of Zurich. Today, he considers the city his true home, largely thanks to his wife, Lara.

"He is a devout Christian, and it was thanks to him that I embraced the faith as well. This happened before we got married—about two and a half years ago", said Swiss-born Lara Todorova, who works for a local pharmaceutical company.

Lara was baptized personally by His Eminence Metropolitan Anthony of Western and Central Europe at the Bulgarian church in Geneva. The couple was married in Palermo, Italy, in a ceremony officiated by Prof. Dr. Ivan Ivanov, administrator of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church for Italy and Malta.

The young woman recalls that day with excitement:

“The ceremony was very beautiful and interesting, as it was a blend of several cultures—the Swiss, Italian and Bulgarian traditions, each with its distinctive customs. Of course, there were many guests who were not Orthodox, but they were warmly welcomed and felt part of the shared spirit as well.”

Today, Lara stands firmly by her husband’s side and fully supports him in his faith, his church service, as well as their shared church life.

“My wife is also Orthodox, and she always supports me in this very important aspect of my life—in this most personal thing: my faith and my Church life. As you can see, she is here today as well. She is always a pillar of support for me”, Danail said after the Sunday service attended by the “Bridge of Faith” podcast team from Radio Bulgaria.

Currently, the Divine Liturgy is held in Zurich at least twice a month, thanks to the efforts of Father Yordan Pashev and his assistants.

“It is very important for the community in Zurich that we have such an active church community, where we can gather in the name of God as Orthodox Christians. This is extremely important for preserving our identity as Orthodox Christians, and that is the most important thing—to gather and pray to God, to find comfort in Him, to find salvation in God. The fact that there is an active church community in the city of Zurich is extremely important”, says the young subdeacon, adding that, in addition to regular liturgies, the Bulgarian community also gathers for major national holidays such as March 3 and the Day of the Holy Brothers Cyril and Methodius (May 24), turning the church into a spiritual and cultural center far from their homeland.  

In the Bulgarian Orthodox Church community in Zurich, Lara Todorova feels well accepted and part of this church family: “Everyone is very kind-hearted, they are understanding and open to newcomers, and they immediately include them. So yes—we Orthodox Christians in Zurich are one big family that keeps growing day by day.”

Thus, in the seeming contrast between the dynamic world of finance and pharmaceuticals and the quiet of the church, Danail and Lara have found the strongest bond for their shared path—a common value system and worldview shaped by faith. For when two people look in the same direction—towards eternity—daily achievements take on their true meaning, and life becomes whole and complete. In the heart of Switzerland, they are living proof that Orthodoxy is not merely a tradition, but a shared worldview that turns strangers into a community and two people into a true family before God.

Translated by Kostadin Atanasov