site.btaSaint Euthymius' Relics Brought to Sofia ahead of Bulgarian Church Patriarch's Election

The relics of Saint Euthymius, the 14th-century Patriarch of Tarnovo, were welcomed in Sofia on Saturday ahead of the enthronement of the new leader of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church (BOC) on Sunday. The relics were brought to the capital by decision of the BOC Holy Synod.

They were delivered by Bishop Sionius of Velich, who is the hegumen of the monasteries of Troyan and Bachkovo, and placed in the Patriarchal Cathedral of St Alexander Nevsky. The cathedral will be the venue of the enthronement of the new BOC leader, who will be elected on Sunday.

Euthymius' remains were placed next to the icon Axion Estin. The name means "It Is Worthy" and was borrowed from a hymn to Mary. The soon-to-be-elected patriarch will thus be able to pay tribute to the last BOC head of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom, who was entrusted with the defence of the capital Tarnovo against the Ottoman invasion. The future leader is expected to ask Saint Euthymius for support and guidance.

A ceremony of tribute to Patriarch Euthymius of Tarnovo will be held at the St Alexander Nevsky Cathedral on Monday, July 1, when the newly elected BOC patriarch and Sofia metropolitan will officiate at his first patriarchal liturgy.

On June 20, the BOC Holy Synod named three diocesan metropolitans as worthy candidates to the patriarch's throne. These are Grigorii of Vratsa, Daniil of Vidin and Gavriil of Lovech.

Sunday's election will start with religious services at the Palace of the Holy Synod in Sofia in the early morning.