Celebration of the Holy King Milutin

In Sofia, the feast of the Holy King Milutin was once again solemnly celebrated—an occasion that consistently deepens the bond between the two nations, their churches and states, and all their citizens.

The festive observance began on October 29 at the Cathedral of St. Nedelya with an evening service, attended by the Primate of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, His Holiness Patriarch Daniel. With the Patriarch’s blessing, the service was officiated by His Grace Bishop Jovan of Branitsa (Vicar Bishop), concelebrated by the Very Reverend Archimandrite Metodije, Abbot of the Serbian Athonite Monastery of Hilandar; Father Petar Slavov, the rector of the Cathedral of St. Nedelya; and other clergy.

The central event of the celebration took place on October 30 with a festive Hierarchical Divine Liturgy, presided over by His Holiness Patriarch Daniel. Concelebrating were His Eminence Metropolitan Ilarion of Timok (from the Serbian Orthodox Church) and His Eminence Metropolitan Anthony of Western and Central Europe (from the Bulgarian Orthodox Church), alongside other Bulgarian hierarchs, including His Grace Bishop Jovan of Branitsa and His Grace Bishop... of Velbuzhd. ...Isaac, the Very Reverend Abbot of Hilandar, Archimandrite Metodije; Hieromonk Atanasije from the Bulgarian Athonite monastery of Zograf; and a multitude of other monastics and clergy.

Following the Liturgy, His Holiness Patriarch Daniil delivered a heartfelt festive sermon on the life and example of the Holy King Milutin. Afterward, he presented His Grace Bishop Ilarion and Archimandrite Metodije with commemorative gifts containing fragments of the vestments of the Holy King Milutin. At the same time, he handed His Grace Bishop Ilarion an icon of Saint John of Rila—a gift from His Holiness the Serbian Patriarch, Porfirije.

For his part, His Grace Bishop Ilarion thanked the Bulgarian Patriarch, His Holiness Daniil, for the invitation to participate in the festive service, conveyed fraternal greetings from His Holiness the Serbian Patriarch, Porfirije, and—on behalf of his delegation—presented him with an icon of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Marking his first participation in the rite of changing the vestments of the Holy King’s relics, Archimandrite Metodije, the Abbot of Hilandar, thanked His Holiness Daniil for the blessing to share in the joy of the feast and presented the Bulgarian Patriarch with an icon of the Most Holy Theotokos "of the Three Hands" (Trojeručica). Following the rite of changing the vestments of the saint’s relics—and in the presence of a large number of the faithful, citizens, and visitors to Sofia—the reliquary of the King was carried in a solemn procession around the square surrounding the Church of St. Nedelya.

The event was attended by Serbian diplomats from the Embassy of the Republic of Serbia in Sofia and their family members, as well as a multitude of Serbian and other pilgrims. Later that day, a traditional reception was held at the Serbian Embassy for Serbian citizens residing in Bulgaria, as well as for other participants in the celebration of the feast of the Holy King at the Church of St. Nedelya in Sofia.