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

Orthodox Christians in Bulgaria and the world celebrate Christmas

Bulgarian Partriarch Daniil
Photo: BTA

The Bulgarian Orthodox Church celebrates Christmas with solemn services. The festive services began on Christmas Eve, when the church held a solemn vigil. 

Hundreds of laypeople gathered at the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sofia, where the Bulgarian Patriarch Daniil served his first solemn service. 

"Let Christmas be the beginning of a profound, gracious change in our way of thinking and living, in our relationships with God and our neighbors," the head of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church said in his official address.

The festive Christmas service begins at 9:30 a.m. and will be broadcast live on the BNR's Horizon program. Today's Gospel readings in churches also tell about the birth of Jesus Christ. 

On December 25, Hristo, Hristina, Radoslav, Radostin, Bozhidar, Emil, and Emmanuil have their name days.



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

Metropolitan Arseniy of Sliven

The Sliven Metropolis is opposed to the Nestinarstvo tradition

Metropolitan Arseniy of Sliven has spoken out against the nestinari (fire dancers), prohibiting them from using icons during their rituals. This announcement was made on the Sliven Metropolis's official website and Facebook page. In his statement,..

published on 5/21/25 2:15 PM
The Cyril and Methodius monument in front of the National Library in Sofia.

Scientists from 14 countries meet to discuss the legacy of Christian missions in the Middle Ages

An international scientific conference will be held in Sofia from 21 to 24 May, the days preceding the celebration of Saints Cyril and Methodius, announced the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS). The conference, titled "Christian Missions in the European..

published on 5/21/25 9:10 AM

What else don't we know about the Glagolitic alphabet, one of the oldest surviving alphabets?

A key to our heritage and national identity, the Glagolitic alphabet is an alphabet and a message to Europe, surrounded by many hypotheses. To mark the 1170th anniversary of its creation, we take a trip back to the 9th century, when the brothers Cyril..

published on 5/16/25 12:52 PM