Bulgarian Bishop Defends UOC in Appeal to Ukrainian Court

LOVECH, BULGARIA — Metr. Gabriel of Lovech has issued an appeal defending the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) as a court in Ukraine considers a lawsuit filed by the State Service for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience (DESS) against the Kyiv Metropolis of the UOC.

The Bulgarian hierarch’s letter was sent following a July 22, 2026, hearing in the case, which he said carries significance beyond Ukraine and could affect relations among Orthodox Churches worldwide. Metr. Gabriel warned that the outcome could have a pan-Orthodox impact, influencing communion between Local Orthodox Churches.

In his appeal, Metr. Gabriel recalled the position of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church’s late Patriarchs, Maxim and Neophyte, who recognized the UOC as the only canonical Orthodox Church in Ukraine. He emphasized that concern for Orthodox faithful in Ukraine, including those of Bulgarian heritage, compelled the Bulgarian Church to express its support.

The hierarch also referenced Bulgaria’s own experience with church division between 1992 and 2004, when competing church structures, property disputes, and political involvement created lasting wounds. He cautioned that legal measures against the UOC could produce serious consequences for the Church and society.

Metr. Gabriel urged the Ukrainian judges to act independently and fairly, warning against state interference in Church affairs. Quoting Scripture, he called on them to remember that judgment belongs to God and to decide without partiality or fear of human authority.

Previously, the UOJ reported that Patr. Daniel of Bulgaria appealed to the court in the UOC dissolution case.