New York, August 12, 2026
Photo: bnr.bg
His Eminence Metropolitan Joseph, head of the Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Diocese of the USA, Canada, and Australia, is recovering well after being struck by a car as a pedestrian in New York on August 7, according to a statement from the diocesan chancery.
The statement says he suffered a broken small toe on his left foot, which required surgery, but otherwise escaped serious injury. His condition is stable and he’s expected to be discharged from the hospital soon.
For about 24 hours after the accident, the diocese didn’t know where Metropolitan Joseph was or how he was doing. It turned out that when he was admitted to the hospital, he was registered under his patronymic instead of his surname, which meant repeated attempts to locate him name came up empty.
However, with help from the NYPD and a local news outlet, his location was eventually confirmed and contact with him was restored.
The diocese is in constant contact with Metropolitan Joseph and thanks the clergy and faithful who’ve been praying for his health.
The statement concludes: “We thank the All-Merciful God and the Most Holy Theotokos for preserving our beloved archpastor from more serious consequences, and we call on the clergy and the faithful people of God to continue their prayers for the speedy and full recovery of His Eminence Metropolitan Joseph.”
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