Patriarch Daniel of Bulgaria: Repentance without faith and obedience to the Church seems like a heavy burden

Patriarch Daniel of Bulgaria read the Great Penitential Canon of St. Andrew of Crete and addressed the faithful with a sermon on the deep spiritual meaning of repentance and confession. The head of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church emphasized that without living faith and humble obedience to the Church’s regulations, the path of correction may seem an impossible burden, while sincere brokenness opens a person’s access to divine joy and light.

The service was held on Monday, March 23, 2026, the fifth week of Lent, at the Cathedral of St. Kyriaki in the capital, according to the Greek news outlet Vima Orthodoxias. In his address to the flock, His Holiness noted that the Lord calls every person to repentance, which is the only way to obtain divine mercy and grace, following the example of the Apostles and all the saints.

«All those who have traveled this painful path serve as an example for us and help us in repentance with their prayers,» Patriarch Daniel emphasized. According to the Primate, in order for repentance to bear fruit, it is not enough only to recognize one’s mistakes internally — it is necessary to participate in the sacrament of confession. It is through open confession of sins that a believer receives forgiveness and the opportunity to feel the gracious joy of God, who has mercy and condescends to the human heart.

The Patriarch paid special attention to the psychological barriers that arise among modern Christians. He noted that without trust in God, the very word «repentance» can frighten and repel, creating a false impression of the overwhelming complexity of spiritual life. «We need a little courage, trust in God and a desire to receive mercy from Him,» Patriarch Daniel summarized, urging the flock to proceed to the sacraments without fear, seeing God not as a judge, but as a source of true life and joy.