Bulgarian Patriarch Daniil has called for greater attention to the moral development of children, arguing that education should extend beyond the acquisition of academic knowledge.

The patriarch made the remarks on September 15 during a prayer service marking the start of the new school year in Sofia, according to the website of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.

Daniil also consecrated the new building of Sofia’s 204th Primary School in the Manastirski Livadi-West district. The school is the first entirely new school building constructed in the Bulgarian capital in nearly three decades. Beginning with the new academic year, it bears the name of Bulgarian writer Angel Karaliychev.

Addressing students, parents and teachers, Patriarch Daniil said that education should not be reduced to accumulating knowledge. He stressed the importance of conscience, willpower and the ability to distinguish between good and evil in the development of a mature personality.

“For the formation of a mature personality, acquiring knowledge alone is not enough,” the patriarch said.

He urged parents to make time each day to communicate with their children and take an interest in their school lives. Teachers, he said, should serve as examples not only of a love of learning but also of respect, patience and care for others.

Daniil encouraged students to approach their studies responsibly and to show respect for their parents and teachers.

The patriarch said the beginning of the school year also provides an opportunity to consider concerns surrounding Bulgarian students’ performance in international assessments, as well as recent incidents of aggression that have attracted public attention in the country.

Daniil also expressed support for introducing the subject “Virtues and Religions” in Bulgarian schools. He described it as an important step in children’s upbringing and highlighted the historical connection between education and Orthodox spirituality in Bulgaria.

Prayer services marking the beginning of the academic year are also being held in other dioceses of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.

More than 420 children attended the first school day at the newly opened Sofia school. They are divided among 17 classes, including five first-grade classes. Fifty teachers and other pedagogical staff will be responsible for their education and upbringing.

Construction of the school building began in 2023. Bulgaria’s Ministry of Education and Science allocated €2.557 million for the project, with additional funding provided by Sofia’s municipal authorities.