Bulgarian Church «St. John of Rila» in London Honors the Saint's Dormition

Today, August 18, Matins at 09:30 and Holy Liturgy at 10:30 local time will be served in the temple «St. John of Rila» in London. This was announced by the Bulgarian Orthodox Church in London through a message on their official Facebook page.

On this date, the Church pays tribute to the dormition of Venerable John of Rila the Wonderworker, as well as the holy martyrs Florus and Laurus. According to BTA, on August 18, 946, the most revered Bulgarian saint and hermit - Saint John (Ivan) of Rila, completed his earthly journey. As tradition dictates, the memory of the saint is celebrated on the day of his passing. Additionally, the Bulgarian saint is honored twice more during the year - on October 19, when his relics were transferred to Sredets (today's Sofia), and on July 1, when after centuries they were returned to the Rila Monastery.

The next service in the Bulgarian Orthodox temple in London is scheduled for August 24. Then the eleventh Sunday after Pentecost will be marked, along with the memory of several saints - Holy Hieromartyr Eutychius, Venerable George Limniotes, Holy Martyr Tation, Saint Cosmas of Aetolia, and Saint Dionysius of Aegina. The services will begin in the familiar order: Matins at 09:30 and Holy Liturgy at 10:30 local time.

We recall that on February 23 this year, His Holiness the Bulgarian Patriarch and Metropolitan of Sofia Daniil consecrated the newly built church «St. John of Rila» in London and served the first Holy Liturgy there.

As early as March 1, 1981, the Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Church Community «St. Ivan Rilski» was founded in the British capital. In the early 90s, with the support of the Bulgarian state, a premises - a garage - was provided on the territory of the embassy in London, which was converted into a chapel. In 1993, the chapel named «St. John of Rila» was officially consecrated, according to data from a reference by the Reference Department of BTA.

"The chapel was too small, which gradually gave rise to the idea of transforming it into a temple," said Archpriest Dr. Dobromir Dimitrov, parish priest of the Bulgarian church community in London since December 2021, in an interview with BTA.

For the realization of the project, the Bulgarian state has provided 3,300,000 leva in stages, and Bulgarian communities abroad together with local entrepreneurs have raised an additional 1,500,000 leva through donations, previously clarified by the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.