Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Holy Saturday celebrated by Orthodox Christians

Photo: picture library

In the calendar of the Eastern Orthodox Church it is Holy Saturday today, the final day of the Holy Week before Resurrection Sunday. The liturgy opens in the morning and goes on until night.

Every year on Holy Saturday from the skies above the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, and into the hands of the Patriarch of Jerusalem descends the Holy Fire. The mystery still remains unsolved by atheists. By an old tradition Orthodox Christians receive the Holy Fire and pass it down to the rest of the Christian denominations.

A delegation led by the Bishop Grigoriy Branitski, Vicar of the Bulgarian Patriarch, will bring the Holy Fire from Jerusalem to Bulgaria. It will be taken to all churches of the country.

At 11:30 pm at St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sofia the pre-Paschal liturgy begins. It will be led by Patriarch Neophyte. Minutes before midnight, with the lights in the cathedral off, His Holiness will take out candles lit from the Jerusalem Fire from the holy alter and will call for everybody to come and take light. After that the Patriarch, the clergy and the congregation will go outside the church where at midnight the Resurrection of Christ will be announced.




Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

President Radev: Only united will we preserve Bulgaria in the global turmoil

"Only united will we preserve Bulgaria in the global turmoil. That bright Bulgaria of Levski, which relies on its own strength. The ancient Bulgaria that feels equal to the European nations. That fraternal Bulgaria of free people, which has defended..

published on 2/20/25 8:49 AM

Premier Zhelyazkov: EU should remain united and predictable in its overall support for Ukraine

The European Union must remain united and predictable in its overall support for Ukraine, Bulgaria’s Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov said in his speech at the second emergency meeting on Ukraine, hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron, announced..

published on 2/20/25 8:32 AM

Second day of boycotting big grocery chains announced on February 20

Public organizations in Bulgaria have announced a second day of boycott of grocery chains for February 20 , after reporting the success of the first such initiative in our country.  On the first day of the boycott, according to data from the..

published on 2/20/25 7:35 AM