Bulgarian Church Synod supports Patriarch’s actions on ROC metochion

The Bulgarian Synod supports the Patriarch in the situation regarding the Russian Church metochion. Photo: Bulgarian Orthodox Church website

On 3 October 2023, the Synod of the Bulgarian Patriarchate made decisions regarding the situation around the ROC representation church in Sofia, reports the official website of the Church.

The text says that the synodals "fully support" the actions of Patriarch Neophytos "as Metropolitan of Sofia regarding the representation church of St Nicholas of Myra the Wonderworker in Sofia and a letter to Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus".

The Synod "expresses the hope that the temple will be opened as soon as possible", but states that this issue "is not within the competence and authority of the BOC".

The synodals decided to send to the canonical-legal commission and analyse the statutes of the functioning of the metochion in Sofia and Moscow, "after which it (the Synod, - Ed.) will make a decision".

The text also says that Metropolitan Daniel of Vidin voted against the above decision, having a dissenting opinion on the issue of the Synod's support for the actions of Patriarch Neophytos.

As reported, after the expulsion by the authorities of the clerics of the ROC representation church in Sofia, Patriarch Neophytos decided to appoint priests of the Bulgarian Church to St Nicholas’s Church. However, the ROC stated that Bulgarian priests could not serve in the representation church.

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