Bulgarian Patriarch Calls on Christians to Remain in the Holy Land from Bethlehem

On September 26, Bulgarian Patriarch Daniil visited Bethlehem as part of his first official visit of peace to the Holy Land since his election as Bulgarian Patriarch.

In the courtyard of the Church of the Nativity, His Holiness was officially welcomed by Ramzi Khoury, a member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization and Chairman of the Higher Presidential Committee of Churches Affairs, representing Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The welcoming ceremony was also attended by Bethlehem Governor Mohammad Taha, Deputy Mayor Gries Karaa, Beit Sahour Mayor Laith Qumsieh, representatives of the Palestinian police and security forces, clergy, public figures, and representatives of the Franciscan and Armenian communities.

Following the official welcome, Patriarch Daniil entered the Basilica of the Nativity and venerated the Grotto of the Nativity, where a prayer service was held in the presence of clergy and his accompanying delegation. On behalf of President Mahmoud Abbas, Ramzi Khoury welcomed the Bulgarian Patriarch and emphasized the importance of visits by church leaders to the Holy Land. He noted that such visits provide support to the local population and help preserve the deeply rooted Christian presence in Palestine. In his address, Patriarch Daniil noted that the Holy Land has endured invasions, wars, and severe trials over the centuries, yet the people there have remained faithful to their land and their faith. He urged local Christians to stay and pray, emphasizing the importance of their presence in the places associated with the earthly life of Jesus Christ.

Before visiting Bethlehem, the Bulgarian delegation visited the Mount of Olives—the site of the Lord’s Ascension—and the Monastery of the Ascension. Patriarch Daniil then visited the Russian Convent of St. Mary Magdalene, where he was welcomed by Archimandrite Roman, the head of the Russian Church Abroad in the Holy Land. This was followed by a pilgrimage to the Tomb of the Mother of God in Gethsemane, where an official welcome was arranged by the abbot, Metropolitan Joachim of Helenopolis. That same day, Patriarch Daniil visited the Lavra of St. Sabbas the Sanctified in the Judean Desert. There, the Bulgarian Patriarch was welcomed by the monastery’s spiritual leader, Archimandrite Evdokim, and the brotherhood, and he venerated the relics of St. Sabbas the Sanctified. The Lavra of St. Sabbas the Sanctified in the Judean Desert is one of the most ancient and significant Orthodox monasteries in the Holy Land, founded in the 5th century by St. Sabbas the Sanctified. The monastery holds a pivotal place in the history of Eastern monasticism and liturgical tradition. The visit to Bethlehem is part of the itinerary of Patriarch Daniil’s peace visit to the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, which began on September 25. In the coming days, the Bulgarian Patriarch will visit other holy sites in the Holy Land, and on Sunday, he will concelebrate the liturgy with Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

Source: Website of the Bulgarian Patriarchate.