Bulgarian side tells if Bartholomew can come to elections of BOC Patriarch

Patriarch Bartholomew with Bulgarian hierarchs and representatives of the OCU. Photo: ec-patr.org

Church historian, writer, and theologian Georgi Todorov, at a protest action outside the building of the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Church, spoke about whether Patriarch Bartholomew could attend the elections and enthronement of the new Bulgarian Patriarch.

According to Georgi Todorov, in this case, we should talk about the presence of the head of the Phanar at the Patriarch's elections and at the enthronement.

He claims that inviting Patriarch Bartholomew to the elections and enthronement of the new Primate of the BPC is "very wicked".

Todorov explained that "even the Dalai Lama could be present at the enthronement, as the enthronement is a public and open celebration where no one will be stopped."

However, only a member of the Bulgarian Church can be present at the elections of the Bulgarian Patriarch, "and no one else".

Todorov emphasized that even "the most beloved brother from the Romanian Church cannot be there, because we are electing the Bulgarian Patriarch."

The theologian clarified that "the Patriarch of Constantinople has no right to attend the elections, let alone participate in them. There can be no talk of that. He is not a member of this Church (the Bulgarian one – Ed). And if he is a member of this Church, then he is an Eastern Pope, which is heresy."

"This is a false teaching because the Universal Bishop of the Orthodox Church is Christ," Todorov underscored.

Earlier, the UOJ wrote that Georgi Todorov explained that the metropolitans of the Bulgarian Church cannot invite Patriarch Bartholomew to Sofia for the elections of the new Patriarch of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church on their own initiative.

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