Today marks the 79th anniversary of the birth of the Bulgarian Patriarch Neophyte

His Holiness the Bulgarian Patriarch Neophyte was born on October 15, 1945 in the city of Sofia with the secular name Simeon Nikolov Dimitrov.

Beneficial influence on his life choice – to dedicate his whole life to the Church of Christ, was exerted by his humble, God-loving family, Stefanka and Nikola Petrovi, and especially his mother, about whom His Holiness said: “My mother was a deeply pious woman. Very modest, hardworking, her life was imbued with her faith in Christ, prayer, and divine services. She sang in church choirs, from a very young age she and my brother introduced us to the temple and ministry as sub-deacons. It was her cherished desire that my brother and I study at the Seminary and devote ourselves to church ministry. She didn’t force this desire of hers on us, she didn’t impute it to us, but we felt it, and my father supported her desire.”

In those years, when godlessness and materialism were spreading in our country, their home was like a spiritual oasis in which he and his older brother Dimitar somehow naturally adopted the Orthodox Christian faith and entered church life.

As the elder, Dimitar was the first to enter the Seminary, and in the heart of the future patriarch Neophyte, jealousy was ignited for him to take this path as well. Two years later it happens. After completing his primary education, in the fall of 1959, he was accepted as a student at the Sofia Theological Seminary at Cherepish station, where he graduated in 1965. At that time, the Sofia Theological Seminary was moved to the Cherepish station, among the rocks in the gorge of the Iskar river. Then the course of study was six years, the discipline was very strict, order reigned under the rectorship of Bishop Tikhon of Smolensk – a dignified and respected clergyman.

Since September 1967, he has been a student at the Theological Academy “St. Kliment Ohridski” in Sofia, which was completed in 1971. During his studies, he directed the academic choir, the quartet in the Patriarchal Cathedral, performed in the “Gusla” choir, the “Sofia” chamber choir and the vocal ensemble “St. Ioan Kukuzel”.

Patriarch Neophyte shared that his desire for monasticism arose during his school years, and over the years it gradually matured and strengthened. This desire is fueled by the example of notable personalities such as ep. Tikhon, Leukian epic. Parthenius, vicar of the Metropolitan of Sofia, rector of the Theological Academy Makariopolski ep. Nicholas and others.

From the fall of 1971 to 1973, he was a theological specialization in the Department of “Church Singing” as a scholar at the Moscow Academy of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra together with the current Metropolitan of the USA, Canada and Australia Joseph, then a hieromonk. The good example of Jerome. Joseph, the services in the Lavra, the magnificent temples and shrines, the monks there – everything strengthened in him the desire to accept monastic tonsure, but his innermost desire was to do so in Bulgaria.

After his return, from September 1, 1973, he was appointed as a teacher of Eastern Church singing and conductor of the student choir at the Theological Academy “St. Kliment Ohridski” in Sofia.

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On August 3, 1975, in the Troyan Holy Monastery, he was ordained a monk with the name Neophyte by the Bulgarian Patriarch Maxim, under the spiritual eldership of the then Abbot Archimandrite Gelasius (later Metropolitan of New York). On August 15 this year Patriarch Maxim ordained him to the rank of hierodeacon, and on March 25, 1976, in the capital’s cathedral “St. Sunday” His Holiness Patriarch Maxim also ordained him as a hieromonk.

From September 30, 1975, Hieromonk Neofit was the conductor of the Sofia Priest’s Choir, and from July 15, 1977, he was also a senior teacher of Eastern Church singing and liturgical practice at the Theological Academy in Sofia, as he remained until the end of 1980.

During this ministry of his, on November 21, 1977, in the capital’s cathedral church “St. Sunday” was elevated to Archimandrite dignity again personally by Patriarch Maxim. From January 1, 1981 to December 1985, Arch. A neophyte is a proto-single of the Sofia Metropolis. As such, on December 8, 1985, in the Patriarchal Cathedral “St. Alexander Nevski” was ordained to the episcopal rank with the title of “Levkii” and was appointed second vicar of the Metropolitan of Sofia and Bulgarian Patriarch Maxim.

Since December 1, 1989, Bishop Neophytes of Leukia has been rector of the Theological Academy “St. Kliment Ohridski” in Sofia, and on July 26, 1991 he was elected as the first dean of the restored since July 1 of this year. Faculty of Theology at SU “St. Kliment Ohridski”. He held this position until January 1992, when in the situation of the split in the BOC he was called to another ministry. From January 27, 1992, he was appointed as the chief secretary of St. Synod and Chairman of the Church Board at the PCSHP “St. Alexander Nevsky”, also acting as the speaker of the Holy Synod, fervently defending the canonical Bulgarian Orthodox Church before the public.

On March 27, 1994, he was elected, and on April 3 of this year is also canonically confirmed as Metropolitan of Dorostol and Cherven. From December 17, 2001, by decision of the Fifth Church-People’s Council, the Dorostolo-Chervenska diocese was divided into two dioceses – Ruse and Dorostol, and he was titled Ruse metropolitan and deputy of the restored Dorostol metropolitan see.

On December 2, 2008, Metropolitan Neophyte of Rousse received the title “doctor honoris cause” of SU “St. Kliment Ohridski”. The title was awarded to him for his comprehensive contribution to the development of spirituality at Sofia University and for his active participation in the restoration of the Theological Faculty at the university.

On June 22, 2010, His Eminence Metropolitan Neophyte was awarded by the President of the Republic of Bulgaria with order “St. Cyril and Methodius” – necklace “for his particularly significant merits for the development of the Spiritual Academy “St. Kliment Ohridski”, for his contribution to the development of scientific and educational ties and relationships between Eastern and Western Christians and on the occasion of his 65th anniversary”.

After the death of Patriarch Maxim, a Patriarchal Electoral Church Council was scheduled in Sofia and on February 24, 2013, Sunday, Metropolitan Neofit of Ruse was elected Bulgarian Patriarch and Metropolitan of Sofia.

Enthronement of His Holiness Neophyte as Bulgarian Patriarch was carried out the same day in the afternoon at the “St. Alexander Nevsky”. At his enthronement, the choir of the Patriarchal Cathedral sang under the direction of his brother Assoc. Dimitar Dimitrov.

Patriarch Neofitus presided over his first Holy Liturgy as the Kyriarch of the St. Sofia Metropolis on March 10, Sunday, 2013, in the Metropolitan Metropolitan Church “St. Sunday” in collaboration with bishops and clergy.

After his election and enthronement as Patriarch of Bulgaria and Metropolitan of Sofia, he continued to be the temporary deputy of the Ruse Metropolitan See until the canonical election of the new Ruse Metropolitan Naum.

During the ordination of His Holiness the Bulgarian Patriarch Neophytes, he prepared and carried out the canonization and solemn glorification of St. Seraphim of Sofia the Wonderworker. In the same year – 2016, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church entered a new holiday in its church calendar – the Feast of the Dorostol Martyrs, and in 2023 the disputes and disagreements regarding the relics stored in the Bachkovo St. Monastery were ended and a new holiday was established in our church calendar – Glorification of the holy relics of St. Euthymius, Patriarch of Turnovsky. On his initiative and request, the BOC received from the Vatican the relics of the first bishop of Serdika (Sofia) – St. Clement Pope of Rome and great martyr Potitus of Serdika.

An important event from the patriarchal ministry of Patriarch Neofit is that the BOC – Bulgarian Patriarchate received from the Bulgarian state, with a decision of 1.10.2014 of the office of Prof. Georgi Bliznashki, a notarial deed for ownership of the patriarchal cathedral “Saint Alexander Nevsky”.

The period of the patriarchal ministry of His Holiness will also be remembered with the opening of the patriarchal institution and the Holy Synod of the BOC-BP to the general public. Already with the ascension of Patriarch Neofit to the patriarchal throne, at his suggestion and by decision of the Holy Synod, the “Public Relations” department was opened, and the pontificate of His Holiness was marked by an extraordinary revival in the relations between the BOC and the Bulgarian state on an official and working level. Regular meetings of the Bulgarian Patriarch and the bishops of the Holy Synod with the presidents of the country, the speakers of the National Assembly, the prime ministers, ministers, etc. leading persons in the state, lay the beginning of specific joint actions and good, constructive cooperation between the spiritual and secular authorities in various areas in which the fields of action of the Church and the state intersect, such as social activity, cultural heritage, education, care for the Bulgarians behind border etc. There is good interaction with the media and increased trust in the Bulgarian Orthodox Church on the part of the institutions and the general public, as well as relations of trust and mutual respect with the Jewish community, the Chief Mufti, the Apostolic Nunciature and with foreign embassies in Bulgaria.

Enjoying deserved respect and great love, in his modesty and compassion, His Holiness did not wish to receive gifts and flowers on the occasion of his personal holidays, but always appealed to the public to donate these funds to certain charitable initiatives. In his subordinate Sofia Diocese, with his blessing, a Mercy Department was established and charity actions with various social causes were periodically organized. He encouraged charity by his personal example, doing deeds of charity himself and never passing by a person in distress without words of comfort and a gesture of sympathy.

As a spiritual leader, for his services to the Bulgarian people, he was awarded with “Stara Planina” Order, 1st degree (November 5, 2015, on the occasion of his 70th anniversary), p “Stefan Stambolov Medal of Honor for Leadership” – necklace for personal leadership contribution to Bulgarian statehood for 2013, with the title “2016 Follower of the People’s Wakers.’ etc., as well as with orders and awards from local Orthodox churches.

In recent years, the strength of His Holiness Patriarch Neophyte gradually weakened under the burden of the patriarchal ministry and the responsibility to preserve the unity of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church entrusted to him by God and the peace in it. After a long and severe illness he rested in the Lord, in whom he placed his hopes, whom he served steadfastly with unfailing faith and unfailing love all the days of his life. But “do we live or die – We are God’s!”

On January 11 of this year, his older brother – Prof. Dimitar Dimitrov, passed away from this world. Just two months later, on March 13, Patriarch Neophyte followed him into eternity. May God forgive them and make them dwell in the villages of the righteous, so that together with the heavenly angels they may sing and glorify the Most High God!

Eternal and blessed be the memory of Patriarch Neophyte!

Alexandra KARAMYHALEVA

“Church Gazette” No. 7 (Special) – 2024

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