The Bulgarian Orthodox Church celebrates 1700 years since the First Ecumenical Council with a solemn liturgy

25.07.2025 | Religion and spirituality

Patriarch Daniel led a special service at the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, marking an epochal event in Christian history with the participation of high-ranking clergy from Bulgaria and abroad.

Снимка от Silar, Wikimedia Commons, под CC BY-SA 4.0

On July 24, 2025, in the metropolitan temple of "St. Alexander Nevsky" a momentous service was held, dedicated to the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council. The solemn liturgy was led by His Holiness Patriarch Daniel, who was supported by representatives of the Orthodox community from various dioceses.

Metropolitans from Veliko Tarnovo, Lovech, Western and Central Europe, Ruse, Vidin, Stara Zagora and Sofia Vicariate participated in the service. A special guest was a representative of the Romanian Orthodox Church, which emphasized the international dimension of the event.

At the end of the liturgy, the patriarch delivered a deeply emotional pastoral message, emphasizing the spiritual significance of the historical church council. "Seven centuries from this council remind us that the dimensions of our faith are beyond earthly boundaries – they are heavenly," stated the spiritual leader.

This year's celebrations are part of a large-scale series of religious initiatives, whose main goal is to present the richness and continuity of the Orthodox tradition among the Bulgarian community and the international Orthodox community.