Bulgarian OrthodoxCchurch Honours St. Basil the Great

On 1 January, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church marks the feast of St Basil the Great, also known as St Basil’s Day. St Basil the Great is one of the foremost philosophers and writers of the early Christian Church.

The festive Liturgy of St Basil was celebrated by the Bulgarian Patriarch Daniil at the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sofia.

Several major Christian feasts are observed on the first day of the New Year: the Circumcision of the Lord, marking the day Jesus Christ received His name; the commemoration of St Basil the Great; and the beginning of the Church New Year.

In his address, Patriarch Daniil said:
“God has given us freedom – a great gift. It means that we have been given the opportunity to choose our future: what kind of people we are to be, what we should strive for, and what we should acquire. Therefore, in the New Year, may God help us to grow in the knowledge of the truth, which is He Himself – the knowledge of God. This truth makes us free, so that we may choose what is beneficial for us. In this way, the New Year may truly be fruitful, enriching us with the gracious gifts of faith, diligence and love, so that this new year, 2026 since the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, may indeed be filled with God’s blessings.”

photos by BNT, BTA

On St Basil’s Day, people celebrating their name day include: Vasil, Vasilka, Vasiliya, Vasilena, Veselin, Veselina, Vesela, Vasiliy, Vasilina, Vasiya­na, Vaso, Vlada, Vlastin, Vlastina, Vlastomir, Vlayko, Vatsa, Valyo, Valya, Vato, Tsarena, Tsaril and Tsarila.