Election of the new Patriarch of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, His Holiness Daniil

On 30 June 2024, the Patriarchal Ecclesiastical Electoral Council of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church – Patriarchate of Bulgaria elected the new Patriarch of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Daniil of Vidin.

Cardinal Kurt Koch, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, participated in the enthronement ceremony in the Patriarchal Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky. The following day, 1 July, in the same cathedral, he took part in the Divine Liturgy celebrated by the newly-elected Patriarch. Cardinal Koch conveyed the greetings of Pope Francis and the personal gift of the Holy Father to Patriarch Daniil, a chalice and a paten as a symbol of fraternal communion between the Churches.

The Cardinal expressed his heartfelt congratulations and hope that the two Churches may "carry on our collaboration, working together in various fields of ecclesial and social life, so as to fulfil the desire of Jesus Christ, for the full communion of all his disciples". He also reiterated that he would pray that we may "rediscover this fundamental bond, thus giving renewed impetus to theological dialogue and ecumenical relations."

On Sunday 30 June, after the Divine Liturgy with the participation of Patriarch Bartholomew, Cardinal Koch stopped for a short prayer at the tomb of His Holiness Patriarch Neofit at the Church of St. Nedelya. 

The Cardinal Prefect was accompanied by Revd. Jaromír Zádrapa, Official of the Eastern Section of the DPCU, in charge of relations with the Slavic Orthodox Churches.