ROC breaks communion with Bulgarian bishops who concelebrated with OCU

Service involving hierarchs of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church and representatives of the OCU on May 19, 2024, at the Valukli Monastery in Istanbul. Photo: ec-patr.org

On May 30, 2024, at its meeting, the Holy Synod of the ROC declared the impossibility of concelebrating with the hierarchs of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church who entered into church communion with representatives of the OCU at the Valukli Monastery in Istanbul. This was reported on the website patriarchia.ru.

"The Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church expressed deep sorrow that the hierarchs of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Nicholas of Plovdiv, Metropolitan Cyprian of Stara Zagora, Metropolitan Jacob of Dorostol, Bishop Zion of Velichka, and Bishop Visarion of Smolyan, participated in a concelebration with representatives of one of the Ukrainian schismatic groups, causing significant damage to the relationship between the Russian and Bulgarian Orthodox Churches," the Synod's decision (Journal No. 60) stated.

It was noted that the participants of the meeting acknowledged the impossibility of concelebrating with the mentioned hierarchs who entered into church communion with representatives of the OCU.

As reported by the UOJ, the Bulgarian Church is currently between faith and politics: canons vs OCU recognition.

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