On November 21, 2024, at the invitation of His Holiness Patriarch Daniel of Bulgaria and the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, an official delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church, led by the Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, arrived in Sofia to participate in the celebrations marking the 100th anniversary of the consecration of the Patriarchal Alexander Nevsky Cathedral.

The delegation included Patriarchal Advisor Archpriest Nikolai Balashov, Deputy Chairman of the DECR Archpriest Igor Yakimchuk, and Assistant to the Chairman of the DECR Priest Alexander Ershov.

At the airport, the delegation was welcomed by the Secretary-General of the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, Bishop Gerasim of Melnik, and the Rector of the Metochion of the Russian Orthodox Church in Sofia, Archpriest Vladimir Tyshchuk.

On the morning of November 22, members of the delegation laid flowers at the "Doctor's Monument," located in the center of the Bulgarian capital. The monument honors medical personnel who died in the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878. The event was attended by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Bulgaria, E.V. Mitrofanova, and representatives of Bulgarian society.

The guests fr om the Russian Orthodox Church also visited the Russian Cultural Center in Sofia, wh ere they viewed the exhibition "By the Power of Christ," which features iconographic images and decorative art objects created by the Russian artist and iconographer Yekaterina Titova.

The clergy and faithful of St. Nicholas Church, located on Tsar The Liberator Boulevard and serving as the Metochion of the Russian Orthodox Church in Sofia, warmly welcomed the delegation members with joy and hospitality. Proceeding to the crypt, where the tomb of St. Seraphim (Sobolev) of Boguchar is located, Metropolitan Anthony and his companions offered prayers at the saint's tomb.

At the entrance to the Cathedral of the Sofia Metropolis, dedicated to the Holy Martyr Nedelya, Metropolitan Anthony and the accompanying clergy were greeted by the Rector of the cathedral, Archimandrite Vasily (Savov). After touring the church and venerating its holy relics, the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church, led by the Chairman of the DECR, proceeded to the tomb of His Holiness Patriarch Neophyte of Bulgaria (1945–2024), where Metropolitan Anthony conducted a memorial service.

DECR Communication Service/Patriarchia.ru