The clergy of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church in the Lovech Diocese have stated that a text circulating in the public space falsely imitates and distorts their official declaration adopted on March 4, 2026, during a priests’ conference held in Lovech.
According to the clergy, the text in question was published by Archimandrite Nikanor (Mishkov) and was presented as if it reflected the official position of the diocese. They stressed that the document actually represents a deliberate imitation that misrepresents the real declaration and contains political insinuations, sarcasm, and offensive language.
The priests explained that while some readers might easily recognize the text as an ironic imitation, others who do not carefully examine its content and style could mistakenly believe it to be authentic. For this reason, they said they felt obliged to clarify that the circulating text does not originate from the clergy of the Lovech Diocese and does not express the position of the Church.
In their statement, the clergy emphasized that the Church does not use language of mockery, slander, or political propaganda. They also noted that the Church does not serve political camps or ideological projects, stressing that its mission is the salvation of humanity and the witness to the truth of Christ.
The priests further warned that any attempt to use the name of the Church for political polemics represents a distortion of its true purpose.
They added that the Orthodox Church has always taught that truth should be defended with calmness, reason, and testimony rather than with irony or insults. For this reason, they said they would not respond to mockery in the same tone but instead encouraged believers to remember the words of the Apostle Paul: “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers” (Ephesians 4:29). They concluded by inviting the faithful to draw their own conclusions.
Source: Patriarchate of Bulgaria
