On January 23, a meeting took place at the building of the Holy Metropolis of Sofia between Patriarch Daniel of Bulgaria and Metropolitan of Sofia, and the Acting Prosecutor General, Mr. Borislav Sarafov, along with Deputy Prosecutors General, Ms. Elena Karakaseva and Ms. Vania Stefanova.
The initiative for the meeting originated from the Prosecutor’s Office. Participants also included Bishop Gerasimos of Melnik, Secretary General of the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church (BOC), Bishop Pachomios of Vranitsa, the First Vicar of the Metropolitan of Sofia, Associate Professor Dr. Maria Kioseva, Legal Advisor to the Holy Synod of the BOC, and Dr. Alexandros Smotsefski, Canon Law Advisor to the Metropolitan of Sofia and Patriarch of Bulgaria.
During the meeting, the Patriarch of Bulgaria briefed Mr. Borislav Sarafov on the serious issue concerning the attempt to register a parallel, uncanonical Orthodox Church in Bulgaria. Mr. Sarafov expressed his unwavering conviction that the Orthodox Church of Bulgaria – Patriarchate of Bulgaria (BOC-BP) is the singular, undivided, and unique Orthodox Church in the country, with an indisputable historical contribution and a significant role in shaping the national identity, a fact affirmed by the Constitution granting it the status of a traditional religion in Bulgaria.
The discussion also emphasized the initiative to introduce the subject “Religion – Orthodoxy” as a mandatory part of the general education curriculum. The Prosecutor General and his deputies expressed their support for Patriarch Daniel’s proposal on this critical matter for Bulgarian society. They shared the Patriarch’s view that Orthodox values form the foundation for the preservation and continuity of the Bulgarian people throughout the centuries and that interfaith dialogue is a prerequisite for social peace. Studying and understanding the Orthodox faith will contribute to the strengthening and spiritual growth of the younger generation.
Patriarch Daniel and the leadership of the Prosecutor’s Office reaffirmed their commitment to deepening cooperation between the Church and the Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Bulgaria for the benefit of preserving national identity, unity, and addressing significant social issues.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Patriarch Daniel presented the Acting Prosecutor General and his deputies with the book The Civil-Legal Status of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, authored by Associate Professor Dr. Maria Kioseva.
