The Holy Synod of Bulgaria, at its meeting on December 10, 2024, unanimously expressed a negative opinion regarding the renaming of the square in front of the Patriarchal Cathedral of “St. Alexander Nevsky.”
The Holy Synod noted “The square in front of the cathedral is an integral part of the history of our homeland and is inseparably connected with all the events related to the Bulgarian Orthodox Church – the Bulgarian Patriarchate over the past hundred years, which makes it not just a municipal square, but an unchanging historical site, directly linked to the Patriarchal Cathedral of “St. Alexander Nevsky.”
The names of squares in the capitals and large cities of European Union member states correspond to the names of the cathedrals built by Christian believers over the centuries, and these names have been preserved to this day, regardless of political circumstances. Here are just a few examples: the square in front of the cathedral of “St. Michael and St. Gudula” in Brussels is named after St. Gudula, the “St. Peter” square in Rome, the “San Marco” square in Venice, the “Piazza del Duomo” in Milan. Moreover, in several cities, not only the squares but also all the surrounding streets are named after the cathedral, as is the case in Vienna, Copenhagen, Budapest, Munich, Thessaloniki, and Barcelona.
In all of these cities, as well as in our beloved capital Sofia, the squares were named after the cathedral was built because the square is defined as a significant place, not only by itself but due to the immense spiritual significance of the temple towering over it.
For this reason, the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church – Bulgarian Patriarchate unanimously opposes the renaming of the square in front of the Patriarchal Cathedral of “St. Alexander Nevsky” in the capital city of Sofia.”
