On October 19, the Holy Church, our God-loving people and the entire Orthodox world honor and celebrate our heavenly-begotten reverend and God-bearing father St. John of Rila the Miracle Worker.
With the blessing of His Holiness John X, Patriarch of Antioch and the whole East and of His Holiness the Bulgarian Patriarch Daniil, by decision of St. Synod of the BOC – BP, His Eminence Metropolitans Nikolay of Plovdiv, Antony of Western and Central Europe and Arseny of Sliven celebrated a festive bishop's Holy Divine Liturgy in Dubai, UAE on the first holiday of the newly established Bulgarian Church Municipality, which has as its patron saint and God-bearing our father John of Rila the Miracle Worker. Together with the Most Reverend Bishops, Archimandrite Maxim – diocesan spiritual supervisor of Plovdiv Metropolis, Archimandrite Isaac – head of the Antiochian temple “St. Annunciation“, candle. Angel Angelov – spiritual supervisor of the Plovdiv Metropolitanate and archdeacon Iliyan Alexandrov.
The liturgical chants were performed by two psalters from the metropolitan choir “St. app. Erm“. The service was held in the temple of the Antioch Patriarchate “St. Annunciation“ in Jebel Ali, Dubai, BTA reported.
About 3,000 Bulgarians live in Dubai, who through the Bulgarian embassy in the UAE expressed their desire to establish a Bulgarian church community a year and a half ago. Many of our compatriots came to the House of God to thank our Lord Jesus Christ for His work for the salvation of man and to rejoice spiritually at the creation of the church community. Among those present at the holy service were His Excellency Mr. Ivan Yordanov – Ambassador of the Republic of Bulgaria to the UAE and Mr. Stanislav Dimitrov – consul general of the Republic of Bulgaria in Dubai and the Northern Emirates.
All with one heart and one mouth confessed the Symbol of our faith and said the Lord's prayer “Our Father”. Some of the laity approached the Holy Mysteries of Christ. Before the chant “Budi ima Lord…“ Metropolitan Nicholas consecrated new beautifully decorated, silver, pearl and stone icons of the heavenly patron of our ecclesiastical community in Dubai – St. John of Rila Miracle Worker and of St. Annunciation, whose name bears the temple of the Patriarchate of Antioch. The icon of St. John of Ril was a gift to the church community from a pious and generous benefactor of the BOC, and St. Annunciation – by Mrs. Tatyana Popova, founder of the BOC.
At the end of the Holy Liturgy, His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas addressed the God-loving laity with an inspired speech on the occasion of the feast of the All-Bulgarian Patron St. John of Rila. Metropolitan Nikolay expressed gratitude on behalf of His Holiness Bulgarian Patriarch Daniil and St. Synod of the BOC – BP to His Excellency ambassador Ivan Yordanov for his enormous contribution to the formation of the church community, and also words of gratitude to Mrs. Tatyana Popova. Metropolitan Nikolay of Plovdiv also thanked the Antiochian Patriarchate for its hospitality. The spiritual celebration ended with a multi-year celebration proclaimed by Archdeacon Iliyan Alexandrov.
After the end of the holy service, at the invitation of H.E. Mr. Ivan Yordanov and Mr. Stanislav Dimitrov, the Most Reverend Bishops together with their companions visited the building of the Consulate General of Bulgaria in Dubai. Metropolitan Nikolay of Plovdiv performed a water consecration and consecrated the building, imparting the divine grace of the Holy Spirit, who will always be present in it. Metropolitan Nicholas addressed the ambassador and general with words of appreciation and gratitude. consul for the tireless work they conscientiously carry out in the UAE, for their patriotism and high Christian consciousness, and also for the warm hospitality extended to the church delegation.