The Bulgarian Orthodox Church held memorial services across the country on November 7 to commemorate military personnel who died defending their homeland, marking Archangel’s Memorial Saturday, known in Bulgaria as Arhangelova Zadushnitsa.

The main commemorative events took place in Sofia and Plovdiv, as well as at Bulgarian military cemeteries in North Macedonia and Romania.

In Sofia, Bulgarian Patriarch Daniil presided over a memorial service at the Military Mausoleum and Ossuary at the Central Cemetery. The ceremony was attended by President Iliana Yotova, representatives of the Ministry of Defence, military commanders and members of the armed forces, according to the Bulgarian Orthodox Church’s official website.

In his address, Patriarch Daniil spoke about the Christian understanding of death, the immortality of the soul and the importance of praying for the departed. He also expressed gratitude for the Bulgarian armed forces and their historic role in defending the country's freedom and independence.

The Patriarch emphasized that remembering those who gave their lives for their homeland should inspire future generations to safeguard peace, unity and freedom.

“Today, when the world is once again shaken by wars, divisions and human suffering, the memory of the fallen obliges us to reflect even more deeply on their sacrifice and on the priceless gift of peace,” Patriarch Daniil said.

In Plovdiv, Metropolitan Nikolay celebrated a memorial service in front of the monument dedicated to Bulgarian volunteers and participants in the April Uprising. Military representatives, veterans and local residents attended the service, which was followed by the laying of wreaths and flowers.

Archangel’s Memorial Saturday, also known in Bulgaria as Men's or Military Memorial Saturday, is observed on the Saturday preceding the Feast of the Synaxis of the Archangel Michael and the Other Bodiless Heavenly Powers.

On this day, the Orthodox Church offers special prayers for the souls of the departed. In Bulgaria, the observance has a particular connection to the memory of fallen soldiers.

The commemorations honour those who took part in Bulgaria's national liberation struggles, Bulgarian volunteer fighters in the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878, and military personnel who lost their lives during the First World War.

The annual observance serves as both a religious day of remembrance and a tribute to generations of Bulgarians who sacrificed their lives for their country's freedom and independence.