On Monday, Bulgarian Patriarch and Metropolitan of Sofia Daniil officiated a memorial service at Sofia’s St Alexander Nevsky Memorial Cathedral, commemorating the victims, including priests and laypeople, 150 years after the April Uprising. Addressing journalists, Patriarch Daniil stated that the April Uprising exemplified not only significant heroism but also profound martyrdom for the Christian faith. He noted that during the tragic outcome of the revolt, many ancestors were presented with a choice between secular life and adherence to their Orthodox faith.
The Patriarch emphasized that the Church honors the heroes of the uprising by offering prayers for those who perished for their faith and the nation’s freedom. He stated that the self-sacrifice of these individuals successfully brought their cause before international public opinion, the governments of major powers, and, ultimately, before a higher power. In his blessing, Daniil linked the preservation of the Orthodox faith—which he described as teaching valor, honesty, and sacrificial love—to the continued survival of Bulgaria.
The memorial service was attended by high-profile figures, including President Iliana Iotova, caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gurov, President of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Evelina Slavcheva, and representatives from various political and academic bodies. Following the service, Patriarch Daniil and President Iotova led a procession to the BAS building for a national commemorative assembly marking the 150th anniversary of the uprising, an event held under the President’s auspices.
Topics: #uprising #april #daniil
