Bulgarian patriarch and metropolitan of Sofia Daniil will visit the Jerusalem Patriarchate from September 25 to 30, 2026, the press office of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church – Bulgarian Patriarchate says. Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem invited him, and the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian church decided on the trip.
Traveling with Patriarch Daniil are metropolitan Yoan of Varna and Veliki Preslav and metropolitan Serafim of Nevrokop. The delegation also includes bishop Gerasim of Melnik, who is also chief secretary of the Holy Synod, archdeacon Dr. Deyan Korunoski, and the patriarch's adviser and interpreter Dr. Alexander Smochevski.
In the Holy Land they will hold official meetings and talks and visit Christian holy sites. On September 27 the two church leaders will hold a joint Divine Liturgy.
The patriarch will then travel to Jordan, where more meetings and pilgrim visits are planned. A personal meeting between Patriarch Daniil and Jordan's King Abdullah II is also expected.
The Bulgarian Orthodox Church says the visit shows the centuries-old bond and spiritual ties between the Bulgarian church and the Jerusalem Patriarchate. It says the trip will confirm the shared Orthodox faith, solidarity with Christians in the Holy Land, and a joint prayer for peace in the Middle East.