Bulgarian Patriarch Neophyte dies, 79

Bulgarian Patriarch Neophyte has died, his office said shortly before midnight on Wednesday. The statement says that he passed at 22:22 hrs at the Military Medical Academy in Sofia of multiorgan failure following a long illness.

"We call upon the Orthodox Christians to address their sincere prayer, together with the Holy Orthodox Church, to Almighty God to rest the soul of our dear Patriarch in the kingdom of  God,” the statement of the Patriarchate says.

It goes on to express gratitude to the management of the Military Medical Academy and the doctors and other medical staff in the intensive care unit, for their care for the Patriarch.

Patriarch Neophyte's secular name was Simeon Dimitrov. He was born on October 15, 1945 in Sofia. He studied at the Sofia Theological Seminary (until 1965) and later enrolled in the Sofia Theological Academy where he graduated in 1971. From the autumn of 1971 to 1973 he was on theological specialization at the Department of Church Singing at the Moscow Theological Academy. On September 1, 1973, he was appointed professor of Eastern Orthodox Church singing and conductor of the student choir of the Sofia Theological Academy. 

On August 3, 1975 he was ordained a monk in the Troyan Monastery by Bulgarian Patriarch Maxim. On August 15 of the same year Patriarch Maxim ordained him to the hierodeacon rank, and on March 25, 1976 to a hieromonk rank in the St. Nedelya Church in Sofia.

From September 30, 1975 Neophyte was conductor of the Sofia Priests' Choir, and from July 15, 1977 he was also senior lecturer in Eastern Church singing and liturgical practice at the Theological Academy in Sofia, where he remained until the end of 1980. He was inducted into the archimandrite dignity by Patriarch Maxim. From January 1, 1981 to December 1985 Archimandrite Neophyte was Proto-signal of the Sofia Metropolitanate.  He was enthroned to the episcopal rank on December 8, 1985 in the Patriarchal Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky and appointed second vicar of the Metropolitan of Sofia.

On December 1, 1989 Bishop Neophyte became Rector of the Sofia Theological Academy. On July 26, 1991 he was also elected First Dean of the restored Faculty of Theology at the Sofia University of St. Kliment Ohridski. He held this post until January 1992.

On January 27, 1992 he was appointed Secretary General of the Holy Synod and Chairman of the Church Board of Trustees at the Patriarchal Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky.

On March 27, 1994 he was elected Metropolitan of Dorostol and Cherven. On December 17, 2001, by a decision of the Fifth Ecclesiastical and National Council, the Diocese of Dorostol-Cherven was divided into the Diocese of Ruse and the Diocese of Dorostol, and Neophyte was named Metropolitan of Ruse and Vicar of the restored Metropolitan See of Dorostol.

On December 2, 2008 Metropolitan Neophyte received the honorary doctor's degree of Sofia University. The title was conferred on him for his overall contribution to the development of spirituality at Sofia University and for his active participation in the restoration of the Faculty of Theology.

On June 22, 2010 His Eminence Metropolitan Neophyte was conferred the Order of St. St. Cyril and Methodius - necklace by the President of Bulgaria for his outstanding services to the development of the Theological Academy in Sofia, for his contribution to the development of scientific and educational relations and relations between Eastern and Western Christians, and on the occasion of his 65th anniversary.

On February 24, 2013, at the Patriarchal Electoral Church Council in Sofia, Metropolitan Neophyte of Ruse was elected Bulgarian Patriarch and Metropolitan of Sofia. His enthronement took place on the same day in the Patriarchal Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky.