Bulgarian Orthodox believers oppose the Sliven Metropolitan: Anaxios!

Police guard Metropolitan Arseniy of Sliven. Screenshot from the YouTube channel "Orthodox Video Channel HRAM Sonya Ankova"

Believers of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church have opposed the new Metropolitan of Sliven, Arseniy.

A video posted on the YouTube channel "Orthodox Video Channel HRAM Sonya Ankova" features Bulgarian Church believers expressing outrage against the election of the new Metropolitan of Sliven, Arseniy.

Several dozen people meet the metropolitan as he exits the temple. Metropolitan Arseniy, surrounded by hierarchs of the Bulgarian Church and police, heads towards the Synod building.

At this time, believers with placards demanding the convocation of a nationwide Council of the Bulgarian Church shout, "Anaxios! Unworthy!"

According to Professor Ivan Zhelev, a senior lecturer and professor of Holy Scripture of the New Testament at the Theological Faculty of Sofia University, "the faction led by Metropolitan Nicholas of Plovdiv has gained another supporter (Metropolitan Arseniy of Sliven), which opens up the possibility for him to be elected patriarch."

Regarding Metropolitan Arseniy of Sliven, Professor Zhelev believes that he is a creation of Metropolitan Nicholas of Plovdiv, who ordained him as a priest and then suggested that the former be consecrated as a bishop: "Metropolitan Nicholas prepared him for years. This is already a fact."

However, Zhelev expressed hope that the new Metropolitan of Sliven "will show sensibility and calm, will be able to cool passions in the diocese, and fulfill well what he says."

Earlier, the UOJ reported on who could become the new Patriarch in Bulgaria.

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