site.btaPatriarch Daniil Says Guard Units Symbolize Patriotism, Duty and Continuity

Patriarch Daniil said Bulgaria's guard movement is "a symbol of continuity and an expression of patriotism, duty and responsibility to the homeland" during the first National Review of School, Children's and Student Guard Units in Sofia on Wednesday.

The event, dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the April Uprising, was held under the patronage of President Iliana Iotova.

"Our Orthodox faith is an inseparable part of being Bulgarian," Patriarch Daniil said in his address to participants. Greeting those present with the Easter words "Christ is Risen", he highlighted the spiritual significance of the Easter period and described Saint George as the heavenly protector of the Bulgarian army.

The Patriarch said Orthodox Christianity has been closely tied to the historical destiny and identity of the Bulgarian people, adding that the participants in the April Uprising were also guided by that faith.

He urged young people to serve as an example to their peers and to preserve the Christian virtues that, in his words, have sustained the Bulgarian nation through the centuries.