The Church Rejoices + Daniil Metropolitan of Vidin chosen and Enthroned as Head of Bulgarian Orthodox Church. Dostoin / Axios !
Metropolitan Daniil is our Officially and canonically elected Patriarch of Bulgaria and Metropolitan of Sofia (the choice was made in a complex selection system) during a Church national Assembly on 30th of June 2024.
The whole Church rejoices as a dark cloud was over the Church as people were scared, un-worthy patriarch might be selected.
The procedure of selection of new patriarch depends on matching, certain criterias for the candidate.
According to the Ustav of Bulgarian Orthodox Church (Establishment Law document, Church established rules statues)
New Patriarch Candidate should match following criterias:
- To have been on a cathedra as metropolitan and have governed a diocese for at least 5 years
- To be not be younger than 50 years of age (should be 50+ years old).
- To be distinguished within the Church to have right thoughts on the Orthodox faith and the exact observance of church order and laws.
- To enjoy a good and honorable name both before the people and before the government of the country
Procedure for electing a patriarch
On 20th of June of 2024, after internal voting in the Holy Synod, following the Church statuses, after 42 turns of votes of individually each Bishop and Metropolitan voting for his favorite, the 3 candidates for patriarch were emitted.
1. In the first round, the candidate who collected 2/3 of the votes of the voters present wins
2. If this does not happen, a second round is reached with the two candidates who received the most votes in the first round
3. In the second round, the candidate with a simple majority wins.
The results out of the elections on the Patriarchical choice National Church assembly results were as so:
Three Patriarchical Candidates
| Name Candidate | 1st voting | 2nd voting |
| Daniil Metropolitan Vidinsky | 51 votes | 69 votes |
| Grigoriy Metropolitan Vrachanski | 64 votes | 66 votes |
| Gavriil Metropolitan Lovchanski | 19 vote | does not qualify |
Patriarch Daniel (Bulgarian: Патриарх Даниил, romanized: Patriarh Daniil) has received his monk name after Saint Daniil the Stylite, one of the most notable Stylites in the Church history.
Early life and Education
Secular name Atanas Trendafilov Nikolov (Bulgarian: Атанас Трендафилов Николов; born 2 March 1972) in a town of Smolyan. He was born in a good and healthy family, his father Trendafil Nikolov is born in a small village near Smolyan (Kremene) and served as a police officer, his mother Zlatka Nikolova used to be a teacher in the field of Informatics in Economy scohol in Smolyan.
He completed his primary and secondary education in his hometown and later served in the military. In 1996, he began studying English Philology at Sofia University, but being grown in the spirit of love for history and the motherland Bulgaria, he soon found out field of Philosophy does not provide enough to match his wide interests in history of the world and history of Bulgaria. Being touched by Gods love and having a desire to learn more about Christianity and his homeland orthodox christianity and learn more about philosophy but from the perspective of the Orthodoxy obviously guided by Gods provide, the following year during the hard years of national financial catastrophe and church schism in 1997 he transferred to the Faculty of Theology of the same university Saint Kliment Ohridski.
In 1997 he also become candidate for monk novice in the notorious monastery of Hadji Dimovo (in honour of Saint Great Martyr George) which was at that time of Spiritual Leadership of Metropolitan Natanail of Nevrokop, where he graduated in 2002 and which was one of the best monasteries capable of giving a solid basis for true and high standard spiritual life.
Becoming a Monk
On August 7, 1999, he was ordained a monk by him and the next day he was ordained as a hierodeacon. On July 21, 2004, he was sent for obedience to the Nativity of the Virgin Monastery (Rojenski Monastery) in Rozhen, and on November 27, he was ordained a hieromonk by his diocesan bishop.
On June 1, 2006, he was elevated to the rank of archimandrite.
Recognized as exceptional choosen person and Levereged to a Bishop by metropolitan Natanail Nevrokopski
Note: Nevrokov Eparchy is the eparchy in which Saint John of Rila Monastery belongs to, Metropolitan Natanail was among the most loved person in Bulgarian Church
On January 20, 2008, he was ordained as a Bishop with the title of Dragovitski and was appointed vicar of the Metropolitan of Neurokop Natanail.
Metropolitan Nathanail Nevrokopsky (titled as the consience of the Bulgarian Church)
His ordination was carried out by Patriarch Maxim (the previous patriarch before Patriarch Neofit) in collaboration with Metropolitans + Ioanikiy of Sliven, + Dometian Vidinsky, + Kyril Metropolitan of Varna and Veliko Preslav, Grigoriy of Velikoturnovsky, Neofit of Rusensky, Natanail of Nevrokopsky, Gavriil Lovchansky and bishops Evlogius of Adrianople, Abbot of the Rila Monastery, Naum Stobiyski at that time Chief Secretary of The Holy Synod, Theodosius of Devol, Constantine of Marcianopol and John of Znepol (currently Metropolitan of Varna and Veliko Preslav chosen after decease of Metr. Kiril).
Hadji Dimovski monastery become also famous also for being the spiritual school for Metropolitan Serafim of Nevrokop (chosen after's Metropolitan Natanail Nevrokopsky pass away to Christ).
On 15 June 2010, Daniel was appointed vicar of the diocese in the US, Canada and Australia of the Bulgarian Patriarchate. On 2 December 2011, the Holy Synod "took note of the letter from Metropolitan Joseph of the USA, Canada and Australia, notifying that permission had been received from the American emigration authorities to fulfill the obedience assigned by the Holy Synod to Bishop Daniel of Dragovitski who can already leave and take on responsibilities, as metropolitan vicar of the USA, Canada and Australia".
He was considered the most likely successor to Metropolitan Joseph of America (Bosakov).
Served as vicar bishop in the American, Canadian and Australian dioceses from 2011 until February 4, 2018 (for 7 years).
He was chosen to become the Metropolitan of Vidin (after the decease of Metr. Dometian) from February 4, 2018 to June 30, 2024.
In December 2018, Metropolitan Daniel condemned the Unification Council in Kyiv, calling it uncanonical. In his opinion, the actions of Patriarch Bartholomew are non-canonical, since he encroached on someone else's canonical territory.
Daniil is the originator of the introduction of religious education in the Bulgarian school and for many years worked for it to be included as a subject in the curricula.
On 21 July 2004, Daniel was sent for obedience to the Rozhen Monastery of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. On 27 November of the same year he was ordained hieromonk by his diocesan bishop. On 1 June 2006, he was elevated to the rank of archimandrite. On 20 January 2008, he was consecrated Bishop of Dragovitia and vicar of the diocese of Nevrokop diocese.
Metropolitan of Vidin 4 February 2018 – 30 June 2024
On 4 February 2018, he was elected by the Synod to the post of Metropolitan of Vidin. Vidin was the last city that fall under the Ottoman hordes, and perhaps his zeal for truthfulness and orthodoxy and the Bulgarian nation was the reason Gods providence in that hard times to have chosen him to be head of this small but historically rich and important eparchy.
In December 2018, Metropolitan Daniel condemned the Unification Council in Kyiv, calling it uncanonical. In his opinion (based on Church Canons of Ecumenical Councils), the actions of Patriarch Bartholomew are non-canonical, since he encroached on someone else's canonical territory.
Perhaps for the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the selection by the Gods providence for Daniil to be the next patriarch of Bulgaria, was quite a shock as the expected patriarch to choose was Gregory who if chosen should have been titled Gregory the II-nd as we already had a patriarch with this name , during the Second Bulgarian Kingdom (saying this by memory), but mans thoughts are very different from Gods thoughts as the Holy scriptures says.
After the death of the former Patriarch of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church Neophyte in March 2024 and respective mourning period, then Metropolitan of Vidin, Daniel was one of the three shortlisted candidates to ocuppy the patriach position together with Metropolitan Gregory of Vratsa and Metropolitan Arsenius of Sliven.[7] On 30 June 2024, at the patriarchal electoral Church-People's Council in Sofia, Metropolitan Daniel was elected the new Patriarch of Bulgaria, Metropolitan of Sofia.
Picture of Patriarch Daniil Blessing, right after his selection and his "radiation" with Patriarchal Ensignias, the Patriarchical Wand stick, The Cross, Panagias …
Pre-selected moments of the enthronization of new Bulgarian Patriarch Daniil of Bulgaria by Sonya Ankova
Currently he is the canonical 4th Patriarch of the new History of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, currently serving as Patriarch of All Bulgaria since June 30 !
His choosing and Enthroning was surprise for many influential people in the history and was just another proof the Church of Bulgaria is Governed by Jesus Christ and the selection was made by the Holy Spirit of God itself !
Daniil the New Bulgarian Patrhiarch, the Forth Patriarch by Bulgarian National TV (BNT) Chapter I
Lets all say Достоин / Axios !!!, just like many has proclaimed during the official introduction of Daniil as Patriarch with a special enthronization Ceremony.
The selection day 30 of June this year was by God's providence on the Sunday of All Saints, this year this day coincided also with the Assembly of All Holy Apostles day commemoration dedicated to All Apostles of Christ (the 12, the 70th of desciples and the rest of rings of desciples of Christ who have done apostolic mission sent by him). The Assembly of Apostles feast is always celebrated in the Church always 1 day after the Great feast of Saint Apostle Peter and Apostle Paul's day.
The day after on the day the first Holy Liturgy was served by tradition by the new Patriarch and it was the Summer Feast of Saint Cosmo and Damianos and one of the 3 major feasts of Saint John of Rila (The Return of the Holy Relics of Saint John of Rila into Bulgaria) .
Patriarch Daniil is the youngest patriarch of Bulgaria in our history of the Bulgarian Church, currently aged 51, since its establishment in year 870 (1154 years ago) and a lot of hope by many, that his Church rulership will be mostly beneficial for the whole Church and nation and will raise up the confidence and self-esteem of the nation, and shed light on the nation and attract more of the youth, that is living a life away from the Church even though baptized, back in the Church.
Lets pray and wish the new Patriarch Daniil, a lot of increasement of Health, Love and Faith for everyone and Wisdom to guide the flock of Christ through the hardships of current turmoiled times of desperation and confusion as well as good health to serve as a Patriarch for Many Years !
For Many and Blessed Years his Holiness Patriarch of Daniil ! Metropolitan of Sofia and Patriarch of All Bulgaria !
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