Wednesday, 11 May 2016, the Bulgarian Orthodox parish in Budapest dedicated to Saints Kiril and Methodius celebrated one century of existence and lived a time of great spiritual joy at the celebration of the dedication day of the place of worship.
On this occasion, His Beatitude Neophyte, Patriarch of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, who was visiting the Bulgarian community in Budapest for the first time, celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the parish church, together with a group of hierarchs, priests and deacons consisting of: His Eminence Antony, Bulgarian Metropolitan for Central and Western Europe and host of this event, His Grace Tihon, Assistant Bishop to the Patriarch of the Moscow Patriarchate and leader of the Hungarian Orthodox Eparchy in Hungary and of the Russian Orthodox Eparchy in Austria, His Grace Andrei, Serbian Orthodox Bishop of Austria, Switzerland, Italy and Malta, and His Grace Siluan, Bishop of the Orthodox Romanians in Hungary, Archimandrite Gherasim, Secretary of the Bulgarian Holy Synod, Archimandrite Athanasius, Bulgarian servant priest in Athens, Rev. Fr. Tancso Iancev, parish priest of the Bulgarian Orthodox church in Budapest, Rev. Fr. Marius Maghiaru, Romanian Orthodox Archpriest in Budapest, Bulgarian priests from Milan, Vienna and Berlin and other servant priests.
The anniversary event was held in a nice atmosphere of brotherly inter-Orthodox communion, under the supervision and with the blessing of His Beatitude Patriarch Neophyte, who delivered a speech of blessing, appreciation, thanksgiving and encouragement for the Bulgarian Orthodox parish in Budapest, and for all participants, as well as for the Hungarian people who turned out to be hospitable hosts to all the Bulgarian Orthodox faithful settled there at the beginning of the 19th century, and who set up an Orthodox parish and a Bulgarian speaking school there, in 1916.
“We wish many years of life and thank the brothers from the Romanian Orthodox Church who celebrated today together with us. Many years to all of you!”, His Beatitude Neophyte, Patriarch of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church said.
The event ended with a cultural programme offered by the church and with a brotherly agape for all participants – the Press Office of the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Hungary informs.
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The Bulgarian Orthodox community in Hungary was created at the beginning of the 19th century, when they set up an Orthodox chapel in Budapest, in Lonyay St., which operated until 1930, when the present brick church was built according to the plans of Architect Arkay Aladar, who was inspired by “Alexander Nevsky” Cathedral and by Bacskovo Monastery from Bulgaria. It was raised through the donations of the Bulgarian faithful on a plot of land provided by the City Hall of Budapest. The church was damaged during the World War II, but it was restored later on, with slight changes, so that at present it is the only Orthodox place of worship in genuine Byzantine style in Budapest, as well as the only Bulgarian church in Hungary, which represents both the ideals of the Bulgarian Orthodox community of Hungary and a beautiful architectural monument. The visit of His Beatitude Patriarch Neophyte was occasioned by the anniversary of the Bulgarian Orthodox parish located in the capital city of Hungary and it has also included an encounter with Cardinal of Hungary Erdő Péter.
