On February 27, 2025, the 75th anniversary of the repose of St. Seraphim (Sobolev), Archbishop of Boguchar, the Wonderworker of Sofia, was solemnly celebrated at the Compound of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Church of St. Nicholas in Sofia (Bulgaria). On this festive day, the Divine Liturgy at the patriarchal Compound was led by His Holiness Patriarch Daniel of Bulgaria.
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to Bulgaria E.V. Mitrofanova, politician Rumen Petkov, First Secretary of the Russian Embassy V.Y. Solodkin, guests from different regions of Bulgaria, as well as numerous parishioners of the Metochion prayed at the Divine Liturgy. Despite the weekday, the church was crowded with believers who came to honor the memory of St. Seraphim and partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ.
After the prayer service, His Holiness Patriarch Daniel preached to all those present, noting in particular: "Our hearts and souls rejoice on this day of the feast of St. Seraphim of Sofia, as the hearts of his spiritual children rejoiced and were comforted in the thirties, when he served here in the city of Sofia, and in subsequent years. — It has now been 75 years since his passing from this world, but the spiritual support, spiritual comfort and joy of being able to come here, worship his resting place and receive blessings and sanctification through his holy prayers have never ceased. We know from the circumstances of his life that God's Providence directed him to us, determined him to come to Bulgaria and serve here at a difficult time when the Bulgarian Orthodox Church was separated from ecclesial communion with the rest of the Orthodox Churches; but despite all this, as a pastor, he always gathered his spiritual children together, reconciled and led his flock to unity."
His Holiness Patriarch Daniel made special mention of the saint's theological writings, stressing that his Orthodox episcopal conscience did not remain indifferent when there were dangers to the purity of the Orthodox faith.: "All this was dictated by his truly Orthodox spiritual experience. His sermons show high theology and deep education — as you know, he was a teacher and rector of a number of Orthodox seminaries. At the same time, he always revealed and expressed the truths of faith and the rules of spiritual life in simple, understandable words that are close to the minds and hearts of worshippers."
"Saint Seraphim is a great consolation, a source of grace, and a spiritual oasis for us,— said the Primate of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. — It is a great blessing that such a saint has shone in our capital in our time. He is close to us both in time, in sincerity, and in experience, because his life passed before the eyes of his contemporaries, some of whom are still alive. Leading an ordinary, outwardly indistinguishable life in the noise of the capital city, he at the same time lived in great piety and purity, giving himself up to prayer, fasting and charity, and love for his spiritual children, with whom he established strong bonds of love that continue to our time."
In response, the rector of the Metochion, Archpriest Vladimir Tyschuk, thanked His Holiness Patriarch Daniel, who celebrated the Divine Liturgy in this church on a special day — the 75th anniversary of the repose of St. Seraphim Bogucharsky. "We are very glad that you have found the opportunity to lead the prayer on this holy day and strengthen all of us with your prayer before the coming period of Great Lent," he said.
On behalf of all parishioners, Father Vladimir presented His Holiness with an icon of the Most Holy Theotokos "Semistrelnaya", noting that it was in front of this image that the members of the parish community prayed on the eve of the Council that elected the Patriarch of Bulgaria: "May this image remind you that here, in this church, people always pray for your ministry. And when we look at this image, we also understand how much the Patriarchal heart experiences any disorder in the Church and cares for the welfare of all its spiritual children. Let us ask the Lord that through the prayers of the Most Holy Theotokos and St. Seraphim, the Lord strengthen you in your Patriarchal ministry for many and good years, and also that your service in this church on St. Seraphim's memorial day become a good tradition."
After the service, the Primate of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church worshiped the venerable relics of St. Seraphim in the crypt of the church.