On Christmas Day - December 25, in the late afternoon, the visit of Bulgarian Patriarch Daniil to the Ecumenical Patriarchate began. This is his first peaceful visit since his election and enthronement in 2024, bTV reported.
Before leaving for Istanbul, Turkey, Daniel performed a water blessing, in which he prayed for an unhindered journey and God's blessing.
Together with the patriarch in our church delegation are the following metropolitans: Anthony of Western and Central Europe, John of Varna and Veliko Preslav, Nahum of Ruse, Cyprian of Stara Zagora, Gregory of Vratsa, Pachomius of Vidin, and Bishop Gerasim of Melnik, General Secretary of the Holy Synod.
At 4 p.m., Patriarch Daniel and the delegation he led arrived at the “Ataturk“ airport, where he was greeted by Metropolitan Maxim of Silivria, Metropolitan Gregory of Ankyra, acting protosingel, and Archimandrite Yakov.