BOC Patriarch: Bartholomew cannot be anathematized without conciliar decision

Patriarch Bartholomew commemorates Epifaniy Dumenko. Photo: press service of the Bulgarian Church

Patriarch Daniel, Primate of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, warned the faithful against taking it upon themselves to pronounce an anathema against Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople. He made the remarks during a discussion with parishioners at St. Nedelya Cathedral in Sofia on October 25, 2026, UOJ-Bulgaria reports.

"To pronounce 'anathema' so readily is to consider one's own opinion more authoritative than that of the entire Church," the Patriarch told parishioners following the Divine Liturgy.

He emphasized that the Church hierarchy had issued no such condemnation. "As far as I know, not a single Local Orthodox Church has pronounced an anathema against the Ecumenical Patriarch," he said.

Patriarch Daniel recalled that throughout Church history, judgments against heretics were reached only after lengthy conciliar proceedings.

"How many times were heretics summoned before a Council? How many discussions were held with them? Only when everything had become absolutely clear did the Church render its judgment," he said.

Those who pass judgment "without being priests or metropolitans, without convening a Council or even holding a consultation," he argued, are acting out of "a spirit that is not of the Church."

The Patriarch warned that critics of Bartholomew's visit to Bulgaria were stepping onto "a dangerous slippery slope," displaying the same "zeal without knowledge" that once led a group of Bulgarian Old Calendarists to separate from the Church.

"We place ourselves above the Church, above so many good people, declare ourselves to be right – and that's it, we break communion, end of discussion," he said, describing this attitude.

"When there is a hierarchy and a decision has been made – and in what way does our decision depart from Orthodoxy? – that decision must be respected. We must seek unity and discuss these matters at Councils," the Primate stressed.

He also urged the faithful to "beware of attacks from both the left and the right."

As previously reported by the UOJ, on October 19, 2026, during a joint Divine Liturgy celebrated by Patriarchs Bartholomew and Daniel at Rila Monastery, the head of the Phanar commemorated OCU leader Epifaniy Dumenko during the Great Entrance. Some worshippers responded by shouting, "Anathema!"

Earlier, in September, clergy, monastics, and laypeople of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church had sent an open letter to the Holy Synod asking it to cancel Patriarch Bartholomew's visit. The signatories argued that concelebrating with a hierarch who openly espouses ecumenical views would cause scandal among the faithful.

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