Bulgarian Orthodox Church Patriarch Neophyte has passed away

It is expected that a 'national day of mourning' will be declared on the day of the funeral for Neophyte, who will be laid to rest at the Troyan Monastery in central Bulgaria, with the date to be announced later.

As church bells rang across the country to announce the passing of the 78-year-old Patriarch, members of the Holy Synod, the supreme governing body of the Orthodox Church, gathered to determine an interim leader to serve until a new patriarch is elected.

According to the church's internal regulations, this duty is expected to be assigned to the oldest member of the Synod, Metropolitan Grigoriy of Veliko Tarnovo.

The new patriarch is expected to be elected during a session of the Holy Synod to be held within a 4-month period.

'A GREAT LOSS FOR THE CHURCH AND THE BULGARIAN PEOPLE'

President Rumen Radev stated in a condolence message shared on social media, "The death of Patriarch Neophyte is a great loss for the Church and the Bulgarian people."

Outgoing Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov stated, "We bid farewell to Neophyte on his journey to heaven with deep sorrow."

Chief Mufti of the Muslims in Bulgaria Mustafa Alish Hadzhi also included the following in his condolence message: "We have learned with sadness and grief that the earthly journey of Bulgarian Patriarch and Metropolitan of Sofia Neophyte has come to an end. He will remain in our memories as an exceptionally good person and a spiritual leader open to dialogue."

Born in Sofia in 1945 and given the name Simeon Nikolov Dimitrov, Patriarch Neophyte was elected Patriarch and Archbishop of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church in 2013 following the death of the former Patriarch Maxim.

Neophyte had been receiving treatment at the Sofia Military Medical Academy Hospital for a lung disease since October 2023.

News Source: AA