site.btaUPDATED Patriarch Daniil Consecrates New Bulgarian Church St John of Rila in London

Bulgarian Patriarch and Metropolitan of Sofia Daniil celebrated the first Divine Liturgy in connection with the consecration of the new Bulgarian church of St. John of Rila in London on Sunday.

Attending were Metropolitan Antonii of Western and Central Europe, Metropolitan Pahommii of Vidin, BOC Holy Synod Chief Secretary Bishop Gerasim of Melnik, Sofia Theological Seminary of St John of Rila Rector Bishop Meletii of Znepole, and Father Dobromir Dimitrov, a priest with the St John of Rila Bulgarian Orthodox Church in London.

Archbishop Nikitas of Thyateira and Great Britain (Patriarchate of Constantinople), Bishop Nektarije of the Serbian Orthodox Church in London, and representatives of other local churches also took part in the festive Vespers.

Also present at the church were the Mayor of Westminster, Robert Rigby, and representatives of the Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches.

The service was also attended by Ambassador of Bulgaria to Great Britain Tihomir Stoytchev, Marin Raykov (Ambassador of Bulgaria to London in the period 2019 - 2024), MP Rositsa Kirova, Chair of the parliamentary Committee for Direct Participation of Citizens, Citizens' Complaints and Interaction with Civil Society, MP and Continue the Change Floor Leader Nikolay Denkov, Bulgarian National Radio Director General Milen Mitev, Prince Kyril Saxe-Coburg Gotha, Prince Boris Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, the Director of the Bulgarian Cultural Institute in London Svetla Dionisieva, BTA Director General Kiril Valchev, and members of the Bulgarian community living in the UK.

At the solemn event, church hymns were performed by a church choir and the service was conducted in both Bulgarian and English.

The consecration of the church was also attended by members of the Bulgarian community living in Great Britain, visitors from Bulgaria, benefactors, donors, and parishioners who had a part in the reconstruction of the former chapel to transform it into the new church.

The Bulgarian church leader delivered a message of unity in Christ after consecrating the new Bulgarian church of St. John of Rila in London and celebrating the first Divine Liturgy there. 

"The purpose and meaning of the church is to bring together the faithful for the celebration of the sacraments; in other words, the church becomes a center for the unity of the community of believers. The Divine Liturgy celebrated here is a call for us to be one in Christ. This is our heartfelt and sincere blessing and message to all of you, brothers and sisters—to be one in Christ. May this newly consecrated Bulgarian church become a gathering place of unity and consensus for all Bulgarians living here," the Patriarch said in his blessing. 

He noted that every Christian church, like the entirety of Christian life, is a collective endeavor where there are no big or small, important or unimportant, as everyone contributes according to the impulse of their heart and their capabilities.” Patriarch Daniil said.

According to Patriarch Daniil, the establishment of a larger church in the British capital was a matter of time and fulfilling a need.

"Thanks to the efforts of Metropolitan Antonii of Western and Central Europe, the dedication of Father Dobromir Dimitrov, the Bulgarian ambassadors Marin Raykov and Tihomir Stoytchev, responsible state leaders, and all the known and unknown donors, this need has now been met, and the St. John of Rila the Wonderworker church stands before us, in all its beauty and magnificence. The names of all those who contributed to its construction and adornment will forever be written in heaven," he added.

In his speech, the Patriarch also said that from today, this House of God begins its real life as "a home for worship and prayers, a spiritual oasis amidst the vanity of the world, and the spiritual heart" for all Orthodox Bulgarians here, who wish to partake in services in their native language.

Patriarch Daniil said that it was a great honor to serve together with his fellow bishops during the consecration of the church, to celebrate the first Divine Liturgy in it, and to share with all those present the joy of the church's completion and its birth into a life of worship.