Clergy and laymen, among them Bulgaria’s leaders Friday are paying their last respects to Patriatrch Neophyte, the head of the Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Church, who passed away late on Wednesday after a long illness. His mortal remains lie in state in the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in central Sofia. 

The casket sits in the centre of the cathedral with white flower arranged around it. Inside the cathedral are the metropolitans of the Holy Synod. People are lining up to pay last respects.

Among the mourners were Parliament Chair Rosen Zhelyazkov, Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov and President Rumen Radev.

The casket will remain here and priests will be reading from the scripture all day. A prayer service will be held later in the day as well as on Saturday when the Patriarch will be interred in the St. Nedelya cathedral after his remains are taken there from St. Alexander Nevsky in a funerary procession.

Oecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew is expected to arrive for the funeral, as well as delegations of foreign Eastern Orthodox churches. He will officiate at the funeral service, said Metropolitan Yoan of Varna.