Bulgarians pay last respects to Patriarch Neophyte (photos, video)

Bulgarians are paying their last respects to the mortal remains of Patriarch Neophyte, the head of the Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Church, who died late on March 13 in hospital after long illness.

Today, March 15, marks the beginning of a two-day national mourning period declared by the Bulgarian government to honour Patriarch Neophyte’s memory.

The body of the Patriarch lies in state in the Patriarchal Cathedral "St. Alexander Nevsky" in Sofia. Throughout the day, the laity will be able to pay their respects and bid farewell to the late Patriarch.

The coffin with the body of Patriarch Neophyte is placed in the centre of the Patriarchal Cathedral and there are white flowers around it. A portrait of His Holiness is placed in front of the coffin.

The lying in state was attended by President Rumen Radev, Speaker of the National Assembly Rosen Zhelyazkov, outgoing Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov, outgoing Deputy Prime Minister Mariya Gabriel, politicians, public figures and many lay people.

Minutes before 9:00 on March 15, the doors of St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral were opened so that all those who wished could pay their last respect to the Bulgarian Patriarch Neophyte. The mortal remains of the Patriarch were brought into the temple before 8:00. A queue of mourners waited outside to file past the coffin of the Patriarch.

The crimson rays of the sunrise illuminated the black mourning cloak of the bell tower of the Patriarchal Cathedral “St. Alexander Nevsky”.

Early in the morning the body of His Holiness was brought for lying in state.

For hours the laity waited in line to bid farewell to the head of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.

Stoyanka Boseva: "The Patriarch was excessively kind, dignified, very good and with a divine voice. God rest his soul, he was a wonderful bishop, I have known him since I was a child."

Vasko Mihovsky: "Some time ago in the Bulgarian Metropolis where I received a blessing from him, I cannot convey to you my feeling of awe that I felt when he blessed me and I touched the holy man."

"I believe he will be in a good place and become a prayer warrior for us because we need a prayer warrior."

The entire clergy of the church also gathered to say farewell to His Holiness on his final earthly journey.

"He is like an angel of the Holy Church and observing our Orthodox teaching, we know that God is the God of the living, not of the dead and we hope he will have the courage ... the Kingdom of God for us," said Metropolitan Yoan, interim vice president of the Holy Synod.

"The temple will be open as long as there are people who want to pay their last respects. This is the most important thing," Metropolitan Anthony said.

Tributes to the head of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church were also paid by other faiths and public figures.

"He led the Bulgarian Orthodox church with wisdom and I am convinced that he laid some foundations, after which this wisdom will continue to exist and will accompany the whole Bulgarian nation, when a person is gone the good things he had done will remain," said Chief Mufti Mustafa Hadzhi.

Images by Dessislava Kulelieva, BNT

The doors of the Patriarchal Cathedral will be open as long as there are people who wait to say farewell. The funeral of His Holiness will be on Saturday.

On Saturday morning, the funeral service for the Patriarch will take place at "St. Alexander Nevsky" Cathedral, followed by a procession to his final resting place in the courtyard of "Saint Nedelya" Cathedral, in accordance with his wishes as stated in his will.

Oecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew is expected to arrive for the funeral, as well as delegations of foreign Eastern Orthodox churches. He will officiate at the funeral service, Metropolitan Yoan of Varna said.