Bulgarian Church invites Phanar head to the enthronement of new patriarch

Delegation of the BOC and the OCU meeting with the head of the Phanar. Photo: orthodoxianewsagency.gr

On May 18, 2024, a delegation of hierarchs from the Bulgarian Orthodox Church invited Patriarch Bartholomew to participate in the elections and enthronement of the new Patriarch of Bulgaria.

The delegation from the Bulgarian Church, led by Metropolitan Nicholas of Plovdiv, which included hierarchs of the BOC as well as Radomir Cholakov, a member of parliament from the political party "Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria", Zdravko Dimitrov, former mayor of Plovdiv, and businessman Boris Kalibachev, visited Patriarch Bartholomew at his residence on the Phanar.

Representatives of the OCU, Yevstratiy Zoria and Avraham Lotysh, also participated in the meeting.

Addressing Bulgarians, Patriarch Bartholomew noted that "we live in a complicated time, in which the witness of the Orthodox Church is more than necessary, and for this witness, we need unity and love to be convincing."

"From this perspective, your visit, the meeting of all of us in the Mother Church, is historical, it is very important," emphasized the head of the Phanar.

He revealed that he "received a kind letter from Metropolitan Gregory of Vratsa, who, on behalf of the entire Holy Church of Bulgaria, invites me to attend the election and enthronement of the new Primate of the sister Church of Bulgaria."

"It is very kind of you to personally invite the Ecumenical Patriarch at such a historic moment in the life of your Church," said Pat. Bartholomew.

According to him, on June 30, when the elections are scheduled, his visit to the Holy Metropolis of Artis is planned. "I will try to change my schedule because I consider this invitation very important and blessed, and it is commensurate with my desire to respond."

"We bear in mind that the Bulgarian Church is the Church of Constantinople's firstborn. Therefore, even if there were unpleasant moments in the lives of our Churches in the past, the relationship between the Mother and the firstborn always remains sacred and unbreakable," concluded the head of the Phanar.

For his part, Metropolitan Nicholas of Plovdiv assured that "the relationship between the mother and the firstborn has always been sacred and unbreakable."

Earlier, the UOJ reported that representatives of the Bulgarian Church were concelebrated by the "hierarchs" of the OCU in Istanbul.

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