Bulgarian Orthodox Church confirms its decision not to participate in the Pan-Orthodox Council

The Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church on June 3 confirmed that the decision of the Synod is that the Bulgarian Church will not take part in the Pan-Orthodox Council. The Statement of the Chancellery of the Synod is published on the official site of the BOC.

In connection with the spread of false and misleading statements on the internet regarding the latest decision of the Holy Synod on the Great and Holy Council of the Orthodox Church, to be held June 16-26, 2016 Crete the chancellery of the Holy Synod specifies the following: “The decision of the Holy Synod is categorical: the Bulgarian Orthodox Church will not participate in the Pan-Orthodox Council due to reasons already announced. The decision was sent to the primates of every Local Orthodox Church. The Bulgarian Orthodox Church delegation's flight to Crete on a government plane was cancelled. The Bulgarian delegation's reservations have been canceled and negotiations are currently underway for a favorable conclusion. Let members of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church exhibit a high ecclesiastical consciousness as to trust its hierarchs and, together with the Bulgarian public, not succumb to unnecessary and unworthy manipulation.”

We recall that The Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, meeting on June 1, stated that the Pan-Orthodox Council should be postponed until “thematic and organizational changes” are made; the Synod listed several disagreements with draft documents that have been prepared for the meeting and with the proposed rules of procedure. The Bulgarian prelates said that they are “determined not to participate if they do not see progress in the resolution of their claims.”

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