Patriarch Daniil Says May 24 Is Both "Inherently Christian Feast and Deeply Bulgarian Holiday"

Yoana Vodenicharova, Vanya Suharova

Patriarch Daniil, Sofia, May 24, 2026 (BTA Photo/Minko Chernev)

Sofia,

24.05.2026 13:48

(BTA)

Bulgarian Patriarch and Metropolitan of Sofia Daniil led a ceremonial water blessing outside the Sts Cyril and Methodius National Library on Sunday, opening the official ceremony marking May 24 - the Day of the Holy Brothers Cyril and Methodius, of the Bulgarian Alphabet, Education and Culture, and of Slav Letters. Daniil described May 24 as both “an inherently Christian feast” and “a deeply Bulgarian holiday.”

He added that “May 24 is not simply a remembrance of historical events, but a celebration of the Bulgarian people’s own spiritual enlightenment.“ The Patriarch noted that this day gives Bulgarians an opportunity to draw inspiration and wisdom from the work of the creators of the Slav letters.

“We are not a tree without roots, but a people with an unshakable foundation in the faith of the holy brothers, in their wisdom, and in their love for God and neighbour,” Patriarch Daniil said.

He extended his greetings and blessings to teachers, university professors, students, and pupils.

“Today we are not commemorating distant historical events, but celebrating our own spiritual enlightenment. Today we celebrate the unique opportunity to create in our native language, to write and read using an alphabet created by holy men, and to engage in dialogue with other nations and cultures with dignity — not with a sense of inferiority, but with grateful awareness of our place within the millennia-old Christian literary and spiritual tradition,” he said.

Earlier in the day, Daniil joined a ceremonial procession in Sofia marking May 24.

/IV/