Who will attend the funeral of the Bulgarian Patriarch Neophyte?

All heads of Orthodox churches have been notified of the death of Patriarch Neophyte of Bulgaria. The Holy Synod expects representatives of each of them to be present at the funeral service.

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

Metropolitan Yoan of Varna explained to bTV that, with the exception of Russian Patriarch Kirill, all the other Primates had received information about the order of the funeral service.

The Ecumenical Patriarch, together with church delegations from all over the Orthodox world, will attend the divine service, and after the Holy Liturgy His Holiness will also officiate at the funeral service.

"The very fact that the Ecumenical Patriarch will be present has great significance, it carries a message, but what is important here is that the invitations to the other Orthodox Churches were sent yesterday following the extraordinary meeting of the Synod," said Assoc. Kostadin Nushev, lecturer at the Theological Faculty of Sofia University.

Who will come to the funeral carries its own symbolism. At this stage there is confirmation from the Serbian, Macedonian and Albanian churches. The Romanian Patriarch Daniel will not be present but sent a video message.

"In these days of mourning, we entrust all the hierarchs of the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church and the entire Bulgarian Orthodox people to our adoration and prayer, asking Almighty God to rest the soul of our beloved brother in Christ, the Venerable Neophyte, Patriarch of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, in the abodes of His blessed saints, where there is neither pain nor sorrow, but life eternal. May his memory be eternal and blessed!" said Daniel, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church.

According to Metropolitan Yoan, the Russian Patriarch was the only one who did not receive the order for the funeral, which was the delicate difference with the others. The theologian prof. Ivan Zhelev believes that this is a signal for a more restrained attitude towards Russia, including the Russian Orthodox Church.

"This is the first time I have noticed it, because in communist times there was never such a filter to invite churches from countries that were then defined as capitalist, and there was always the same attitude," Prof. Zhelev said.

Professor Zhelev admits that there is a specific reason for this decision of the Synod.

"The fact that there was no special invitation may have something to do with the fact that about two months ago the Russian Patriarch sent a letter addressed not to Neophyte but to the Holy Synod, as if we had no Patriarch, i.e. something cracked in these relations," Prof. Zhelev added.

Despite this reticence of the Bulgarian Church, there is no obstacle for the Russian Church to send a representative, explained prof. Zhelev. According to our information, Bishop Nestor of Corsica will represent the Russian Patriarchate tomorrow. On the Patriarchate's website, the Russian Patriarch expressed his condolences and a memorial service was held at the Russian Church in the capital Sofia.

"To begin with, heads of churches are not invited for such events, they come themselves to express their condolences, as in interpersonal relations – people do not get invited to go to a funeral of a relative or close person," Prof. Ivan Zhelev said.

Patriarch Neophyte will be buried next to the grave of Exarch Joseph, as was his wish.

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to preside over funeral service for late Patriarch Neophyte of Bulgaria