site.btaMetropolitan Anthony Leads Ireland's First Service in Bulgarian since 2011

Western and Central European Metropolitan Anthony led Sunday's festive Easter service at All Hallows Chapel on the grounds of the DCU Campus in Dublin, Ireland. It was the first led by a Bulgarian Metropolitan and conducted in Bulgarian in Ireland since 2011.

The church was filled with Bulgarian worshippers, despite traffic blockades in central Dublin in protest against the sharp rise in fuel prices. Also in attendance were Bulgaria’s Ambassador to Ireland Vanya Andreeva-Malakova, as well as Kiril Valchev, Milen Mitev and Milena Milotinova, the directors general of the Bulgarian News Agency, Bulgarian National Radio and Bulgarian National Television, respectively.

“God has chosen us to be here today, together in prayer and in the Feast of Feasts, the Celebration of Celebrations, the Resurrection of Christ, united, with one heart and with one voice, glorifying God,” Metropolitan Anthony said.

“You have expressed your desire to gather here today, so that we may try, each according to the measure of our strength and according to our prayers, that God may bless the continued existence here, in Ireland, of a Bulgarian Orthodox church community, one that lives the grace-filled life of the Church, participates in the sacraments, which the Church so generously grants us through the grace of the Holy Spirit, so that we may live in grace, in a way pleasing to God and for our salvation,” the Metropolitan added.

“This path towards establishing a church community is steep, much like the life Golgotha that we all ascend in imitation of our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ,” Metropolitan Anthony said. “But we know that what is impossible for men is possible for God,” he added.