The stay of the relics of Holy Protomartyr Panteleimon in Bulgaria is over

With the blessing of the Holy Kinot of the Holy Mount, the shrine with the honourable head of the Holy Protomartyr Panteleimon of the Russian Monastery of St. Panteleimon in Mount Athos was brought to the Bulgarian Orthodox Church on July 26 and stayed there till August 3, 2017.

The delegation that accompanied the Athonite shrine was led by Archimandrite Yevlogy (Ivanov), father superior of the St. Panteleimon Monastery.

On July 26, at the Kulata checkpoint on the Greek-Bulgarian border, the shrine was met by Metropolitan Seraphim of Nevrokop and Bishop Gerasim of Melnish, chief secretary of the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. The hierarch and clergy of the Bulgarian Church prayed at the shrine. Bulgarian border guards, too, had an opportunity to venerate the relics of the holy healer.

Then the great shrine was brought to Sofia. In the church of the Holy Protomartyr Panteleimon in the capital city’s Knjazevo district, festive vespers was celebrated, led by Bishop Panteleimon of Orekhovo-Zuevo, vicar of His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.

After the service, His Grace Panteleimon conveyed to the congregation a blessing from His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. He congratulated the faithful on the great feast of the bringing of the holy relics of the Holy Protomartyr Panteleimon to Sofia.

Early in the morning on the next day, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated at the church of the Holy Protomartyr Panteleimon in Knjazevo. It was presided over by Bishop Panteleimon of Orekhovo-Zuevo. After the liturgy, he celebrated a thanksgiving to the Holy Protomartyr Panteleimon. Among the worshipers were Archimandrite Philip (Vasiltsev), rector of the St. Nicholas Representation Church, Father Epiphanios (Damianos) of the Xenophontos monastery on Mount Athos, Mr. A. Kristov, honorary chairman of the Balkan Society of Mt. Athos, as well as numerous parishioners and guests.

After the service, the shrine with the honourable head of Protomartyr Panteleimon was brought to the church of the Holy Seven, in which the Divine Liturgy was celebrated, presided over by His Holiness Patriarch Neophytos of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church assisted by an assembly of bishops and priests of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, as well as the father superior and brethren of the Russian Monastery of St. Panteleimon on Mount Athos.

With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, Bishop Panteleimon of Orekhovo-Zuevo represented the Russian Orthodox Church at the celebrations in Sofia.

On July 28, Patriarch Neophytos received the delegation of the Russian Monastery of St. Panteleimon on Mount Athos, who had brought the honourble head of the Holy Protomartyr Panteleimon to Bulgaria.

On the same day, the father superior of the St. Panteleimon Monastery, Archimandrite Yevlogy, was received by the president of the Bulgarian National Assembly Dimitar Glavchev.

In the morning of July 29, the shrine was transferred in a solemn ceremony to the cathedral of the Metropolia of Sofia, the Cathedral of the Holy Resurrection located in the center of the capital city, where it was met by Protosyngellos of the Metropolia of Sofia, Archimandrite Vasilij (Savov). A thanksgiving was celebrated to the protomartyr and healer Panteleimon.

On the same day, the delegation of the Athonite brotherhood, accompanied by Bishop Gerasim of Melnish, visited the Ryla Monastery.

On July 30, the festive Divine Liturgy at the church of the Holy Resurrection was presided over by Bishop Gerasim of Melnish. Among the worshippers was His Holiness Patriarch Neophytos.

On July 31, the shrine with the relics of Protomartyr and Healer Panteleimon was brought to the Bulgaria representation of the Russian Orthodox Church – the church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Sofia. On the eve of the arrival of the honourble head of the Holy Protomartyr Panteleimon to the St. Nicholas Representation Church, vespers was celebrated with an akathistos to the saint.

On the following day, His Holiness Patriarch Neophytos  met the shrine in a solemn ceremony at the St. Nicholas church.

With the blessing of the Primate of the Bulgarian Church, the Divine Liturgy at the Representation Church was celebrated by Metropolitan Anthony of Western and Central Europe assisted by the representative of the Romanian Orthodox Church to the Bulgarian patriarchal see Staurophorus Oikonomus Neluc Oprja, brethren of the St. Panteleimon Monastery and an assembly of the Bulgarian clergy.

After the Prayer of Fervent Supplication, Metropolitan Anthony lifted up a prayer for peace in Ukraine.

After the service, His Holiness Patriarch Neophytos greeted the participants in the celebrations.

On August 1, the shrine was brought to the old Bulgarian city of Vratsa situated at the foothills of Stara Planina in the northwest of the country. The solemn meeting of the shrine with the honourable head of the Holy Protomartyr Panteleimon was led by Metropolitan Gregor of Vratsa with an assembly of the Metropolia of Vratsa clergy. His Eminence celebrated the Divine Liturgy, after which a thanksgiving was said at the healer’s relics.

On August 2, the delegation of the Russian Monastery of St. Panteleimon was received by Bulgarian Prime Minister Boris Boyko.

On the same day, the shrine was brought to the city of Sandanski, Metropolia of Nevrokop, where it was met by Metropolitan Seraphim of Nevrokop, Archimandrite Epifanij, father superior of the Rozhen monastery of the Assumption, and the clergy of the Metropolia of Nevrokop.

In the evening, Bishop Gerasim of Melnish celebrated the festive vespers with the canon to the Most Holy Mother of God at the St. George Cathedral. Among the worshippers was Metropolitan Seraphim of Nevrokop.

On the following day, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated at the St. George Cathedral. It was presided over by Metropolitan Seraphim of Nevrokop assisted by Hiero-schemamonk Nikolay (Generalov) and clergy of the Bulgarian church.

After the service, in greeting the monk of the Russian Monastery of St. Panteleimon, His Eminence Seraphim asked him to convey the words of profound gratitude to the father superior Archimandrite Yevlogy for his consent to bring the honourable head of the Holy Protomartyr Panteleimon to the city of Sandanski.

Then the delegation of the Athonite Monastery of St. Panteleimon visited the Rozhen Monastery and venerated its shrines.

On the same day, the honourable head of the Holy Protomartyr Panteleimon, accompanied by Hegumen Yevlogy and brethren of the Athonite Monastery of St. Panteleimon left Bulgaria for Holy Mount Athos.

DECR Communication Service