Patriarch Daniel of Bulgaria met with the Prime Minister of Bulgaria, Dimitar Glavchev. During the meeting, the Prime Minister reaffirmed that the government’s negative stance on the registration of the “Bulgarian Orthodox Old Calendar Church” remains unchanged. The Prime Minister reminded that the Cabinet has repeatedly expressed this position.
The Bulgarian Orthodox Church, according to the Law on Religions, represents the traditional faith in the Republic of Bulgaria—Eastern Orthodoxy. The Church is governed by the Holy Synod and represented by the Patriarch of Bulgaria, who also serves as the Metropolitan of Sofia.
“The role of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church is historically rooted through the centuries and remains relevant to this day,” stated Glavchev, emphasizing that Bulgarian faithful need not worry about schisms. The Prime Minister added that he is closely monitoring the discussions on proposed amendments to the Law on Religions in the National Assembly.
Patriarch Daniel expressed his gratitude to the government for supporting the negative stance regarding the registration of the Old Calendar Church. The meeting was also attended by Metropolitan Gabriel of Lovech and Bishop Gerasimos of Melnik, Secretary-General of the Holy Synod.
This meeting followed the strong reaction of the Bulgarian Patriarchate and Patriarch Daniel himself to the decision of the country’s judicial authorities to allow other religious organizations, such as the Old Calendarists, to use the title “Orthodox Church.”
This decision by Bulgaria’s Supreme Court, which effectively permits the registration of another jurisdiction under the name “Orthodox Church,” was issued shortly before the end of the previous year.
In an interview with local media, Patriarch Daniel remarked that this decision allows for overlap and interference between legal entities and, consequently, the encroachment of religious institutions into society. This, he said, leads to confusion among the faithful. The Old Calendar Church claims to represent Orthodox faith in Bulgaria. Their separation from the unity of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church (BOC) thirty years ago stemmed from their perception that the BOC had ceased to embody Orthodox faith.
Patriarch Daniel clarified that Bulgarian authorities have legislated that the Bulgarian Orthodox Church—Patriarchate of Bulgaria—is the official expression of Orthodox confession in the country.
A similar position was expressed by the President of Bulgaria, Rumen Radev, who recently met with Patriarch Daniel and members of the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church to discuss the matter.
“The Bulgarian Orthodox Church—Patriarchate of Bulgaria is the institutional representative of Eastern Orthodox confession in the Republic of Bulgaria, with undeniable historical contributions and a significant role in our national identity,” stated the President of Bulgaria.
During the discussion, he emphasized that the Bulgarian Orthodox Church is one and indivisible, having served and continuing to serve as a spiritual pillar through all of Bulgaria’s trials. “Therefore, any threats it faces should be regarded as threats to our national unity and sovereignty,” the President underscored.
