Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia has expressed his condolences to Bulgarian Patriarch Daniel following a massive traffic accident on Bulgaria’s Trakia motorway that killed 12 people and left around 50 others injured.

In a message published on November 12, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church described the incident as a tragedy that had claimed numerous lives and left many people injured. He asked God to grant eternal rest to the deceased, comfort their grieving families and bring healing to those injured.

"I pray to the Almighty Lord that He may grant the souls of all His newly departed servants eternal rest in the heavenly dwellings, where there is neither sickness, nor sorrow, nor suffering; send comfort to the relatives and loved ones of those who have died in their grief, and heal and raise up all those suffering from their injuries," Patriarch Kirill said in his message.

The accident occurred on the morning of November 10 near the southeastern Bulgarian city of Yambol. Two major pile-ups involving 86 vehicles, including trucks, took place on the Trakia motorway, which connects Sofia with the Black Sea city of Burgas. Preliminary reports indicated that dense fog and poor visibility contributed to the collisions.

The tragedy prompted expressions of solidarity from several international leaders. Condolences were conveyed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Romanian President Nicușor Dan, North Macedonian President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, Slovak President Peter Pellegrini and Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President António Costa and European Parliament President Roberta Metsola also expressed their support. Foreign ministers from Ukraine, Romania, Albania, Estonia and Lithuania likewise conveyed their condolences.

Bulgaria declared November 11 a national day of mourning. In the aftermath of the disaster, church authorities and local officials continued providing assistance to the victims' families and those receiving medical treatment.

Metropolitan Arseniy of Sliven presided over the funeral services for three members of one family who died in the crash: Ivan, his wife Katya and her mother, Yovka. The Sliven Metropolitanate covered the costs of their funerals.

The metropolitan later visited the city hospital alongside Sliven Mayor Stefan Radev to meet injured survivors and wish them a speedy recovery.

Addressing the families of the victims, Metropolitan Arseniy urged people to show love and care for their loved ones without delay.

"Let us not put off love until tomorrow. Let us not spare kind words," he said, reminding the faithful that every day of human life is a gift.