Bulgarian Synod addresses faithful over Patriarch Bartholomew's visit
The Synod reaffirmed the Bulgarian Church’s full communion with the Ecumenical Patriarchate and urged believers not to condemn their hierarchs.
On November 3, 2026, the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church issued a statement to clergy and faithful amid controversy surrounding Patriarch Bartholomew’s visit to Bulgaria, UOJ-Bulgaria reports.
The statement recalled that a delegation from the Ecumenical Patriarchate, led by Patriarch Bartholomew, attended the celebrations at the invitation of Bulgarian Patriarch Daniel and the Holy Synod. On October 9, Patriarchs Bartholomew and Daniel jointly presided over the Divine Liturgy at Rila Monastery.
“With pastoral concern, we address the clergy and faithful regarding certain extreme attitudes, intemperate statements, and unjustified fears arising from this visit. We call for sobriety and discernment, and for refraining from condemnation and hasty conclusions,” the statement reads.
The Synod emphasized that the Bulgarian Orthodox Church “remains in full Eucharistic and canonical communion with the Ecumenical Patriarchate, as well as with the other Local Orthodox Churches.”
“Preserving this communion is the responsibility of us all,” the hierarchs declared.
Citing the Apostle Paul (Romans 10:2), the Synod warned against “zeal for God without knowledge.”
“Sincere concern for the purity of the faith is good, but it must be accompanied by humility, sound knowledge, spiritual maturity, and respect for ecclesiastical hierarchy,” the statement noted.
The Synod was particularly forceful in condemning attacks on Church leadership: “It is unacceptable for Orthodox Christians to revile their archpastors, speak ill of their brothers and sisters, pronounce anathemas, and appoint themselves as judges.”
To reinforce this point, the hierarchs cited St. Dionysius the Areopagite, who taught that “one rank must not displace another, but each must remain within its own rank and ministry.”
The Synod also addressed the clergy directly, stressing that their pastoral duty is to strengthen the faithful in their faith and help them find answers, “rather than inflame passing emotions, spread fear, and turn people against one another.”
“Sowing unfounded fears and anxieties, fueling distrust of Church leadership, and drawing believers into confrontation can deeply wound their spiritual lives. Let each of us remember our responsibility before God for what we sow in the hearts of the souls entrusted to our care,” the statement emphasized.
The appeal concluded by urging believers to follow the example of St. John of Rila – “steadfast in faith, yet also humble, discerning, and spiritually obedient” – and with a prayer that the Lord would “strengthen the love among us and preserve the peace and unity of the Holy Church.”
As the UOJ previously reported, Patriarch Bartholomew commemorated Epifaniy Dumenko during the Divine Liturgy at Rila Monastery, prompting some worshippers to shout “Anathema!”
