Thessaloniki, September 30, 2025. Meeting with His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of Bulgaria

On the sidelines of the 2nd International Scientific Conference of the journal “Theology” organized in Thessaloniki, September 29 – 30, 2025, on the topic: “Orthodox Theology and the ‘Ontology’ of Technology: Anthropological, Political, Economic, Social, and Cultural Consequences”, the Secretary General of the Interparliamentary Assembly of Orthodoxy (IAO), Dr. Maximos Charakopoulos, with the participation of the head of the Parliamentary delegation of Bulgaria Mr. Toma Bykov, and the IAO Advisor Dr. Kostas Mygdalis, held a meeting with His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of Bulgaria. The meeting was also attended by Metropolitan Seraphim of Nevrokopio and the legal advisor of the Bulgarian Patriarchate, Ms. Maria Kyoseva.

The IAO Secretary General, addressing His Beatitude, emphasized: “The close cooperation of the Orthodox people in the Balkans is required by our common spiritual heritage, as well as by the obligation of coordination in the face of multiple contemporary challenges. The Orthodox world has the duty to express their own discourse in the rapid developments in the field of international politics, human relations and technology.”

During the meeting, the importance of organizing equivalent international conferences was emphasized, where Primates of Orthodox Churches meet and discuss not only with representatives of local Autocephalous Churches, but also with representatives of the political world on the major issues and challenges of our time.

The head of the IAO presented to the Patriarch of Bulgaria the historical course and multi-level activity of the IAO since its foundation to the present day, while they discussed the possibility of organizing a conference in Sofia with reference to the Christian Balkans, with the participation of parliamentarians and academics.