Bulgarian Patriarch Daniel has made his first visit to the Church of St. Panteleimon the Great Martyr and Healer in Sofia's Knyazhevo district, a historic church affiliated with the Representation of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Bulgarian capital.

According to the Representation's official website, the visit marked the first time that the head of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church has attended services at the church.

On the eve of the parish feast day, Great Vespers with the Litia rite was celebrated by Bishop John of Branitsa, First Vicar of the Metropolis of Sofia, together with the clergy of the parish. Patriarch Daniel joined the service in prayer alongside a large gathering of worshippers.

In his homily, Bishop John reflected on the life and witness of St. Panteleimon, who is revered in the Orthodox Church as a physician and healer. He noted that the saint freely cared for the sick and performed healings through prayer and faith in Christ, emphasizing that physical healing was ultimately intended to lead believers toward the salvation of their souls.

On the feast day itself, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated by Archpriest Vladimir Tyshchuk, rector of the Representation of the Russian Orthodox Church in Sofia. Following the service, clergy and faithful held a prayer service in honor of St. Panteleimon and blessed *koliva*, the traditional commemorative offering prepared for Orthodox feast days. Parishioners also congratulated Archpriest Vladimir on his birthday.

The Church of St. Panteleimon has a distinctive place in Bulgaria's Orthodox history. Built in 1923 by Russian émigrés, it originally served as the chapel of the Russian Union of Military Invalids in Bulgaria. After the Second World War, in 1953, the church—along with other Russian churches in the country—was transferred to the jurisdiction of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.

Since 1974, it has functioned as an affiliated church of the Representation of the Russian Orthodox Church in Sofia while remaining part of the Sofia Diocese of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.

Today, the church is regarded as an important symbol of the spiritual heritage of the Russian émigré community in Bulgaria and serves as a place of shared worship for Orthodox faithful from both the Bulgarian and Russian Churches.