List of all candidates for Bulgarian Church Patriarch published

From left to right: Metropolitan Gavriil of Lovech, Metropolitan Nikolai of Plovdiv, Metropolitan Yoan of Varna, and Metropolitan Antony of Western and Central Europe. Photo: glasove.com

Bulgarian media have published a complete list of all the metropolitans who will participate in the elections for the new Patriarch of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.

On June 20, 2024, the Holy Synod gathered to select three candidates for the patriarchal post from among its members. This process may take several days if none of the candidates achieve the required two-thirds majority (10 out of 14 votes).

In the previous election in 2013, the process lasted two days and included around 30 rounds of voting, ultimately requiring a change in the rules to reach a decision. The deadline for submitting candidacies is midnight from Saturday to Sunday, as church statutes require this to be done at least seven days before the final selection.

The Patriarchal Electoral Council will convene on June 30 at the Synodal Palace in Sofia. Over 100 delegates will vote by secret ballot to determine which of the three candidates nominated by the Synod will become the new head of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.

The Bulgarian Church's statutes set four requirements for each candidate for the patriarchal throne: to be a diocesan metropolitan (member of the Holy Synod), to be at least 50 years old, to have governed a diocese as a bishop for at least five years, and to be distinguished by Orthodox thinking and strict adherence to church order.

Three members of the Synod have not reached the age of 50: Metropolitan Antony of Western and Central Europe, Metropolitan Kiprian of Stara Zagora, and Metropolitan Seraphim of Nevrokop, who will reach the required age just a few days after the Patriarchal election on July 4.

Metropolitan Yakov of Dorostol does not meet the requirement of having governed a diocese for at least five years. The new member of the Synod, Metropolitan Arseniy of Sliven, elected at the end of May, does not meet either condition – he is 38 years old and has just taken over the governance of his diocese.

Thus, nine metropolitans are eligible for the position of head of the BOC: Metropolitan Joseph of the USA, Canada, and Australia, Metropolitan Grigoriy of Veliko Tarnovo, Metropolitan Ignatiy of Pleven, Metropolitan Gavriil of Lovech, Metropolitan Nikolay of Plovdiv, Metropolitan Yoan of Varna, Metropolitan Naum of Ruse, Metropolitan Grigoriy of Vratsa, and Metropolitan Daniil of Vidin.

After the death of Patriarch Neophyte, Metropolitan Nikolay of Plovdiv has publicly stated several times that he does not wish to participate in the elections for the Patriarch. However, this does not mean that his name will not be included in the list of candidates.

From the nine eligible candidates, the Synod will select three metropolitans, one of whom will become the Patriarch.

Bulgarian media have noted that "there is no withdrawal procedure in the BOC's church statute, and according to theologians, service represents obedience to the Church, so every clergyman, upon accepting the rank of bishop, understands that he may one day become a metropolitan and patriarch, and must adhere to his duty."

The process of electing a new patriarch of the BOC, which began after the death of Patriarch Neophyte, promises to be complex and intense. In the coming days, it will become clear which metropolitans will make it to the final three candidates and who will be chosen to lead the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.

Previously, the UOJ wrote about the elections of the BOC patriarch in the article "Election of the Bulgarian Patriarch: Politics, scheming and God’s will".

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