Yesterday, the Orthodox Christian church celebrated the the Universal Exaltation of the Precious and Life-creating Cross. In Eastern Orthodox and Byzantine Catholic practice, the Universal Exaltation of the Precious and Life-creating Cross commemorates both the finding of the True Cross in 326 and its recovery from the Persians in 628, and is considered to be one of the Great Feasts of the church year.

All eparchies of the Bulgarian Orthodox church celebrated masses and bowed before the Saint Cross.

A mass lead by His holiness the Bulgarian patriarch and bishop of Sofia Maxim took place in Sofia, in the cathedral “St. Alexander Nevski”. Later on, a mass was lead by His holiness the bishop of Ruse Neofit, and was attended by numerous members of the high-ranking clergy of Bulgaria.

The celebration was concluded with a blessing for the health and prosperity of the Bulgarian youth – marking the start of the school year in Bulgaria (September 15th).