Title: Unprecedented Move: Bulgaria‘s Supreme Cassation Court Registers ‘Bulgarian Orthodox Old-Rite Church’
In an unexpected turn of events, Bulgaria’s Supreme Cassation Court (VKС) has registered the ‘Bulgarian Orthodox Old-Rite Church’ as a recognized religion, sparking concern among the public, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Holy Synod. This decision could potentially disrupt the unity of the traditional Bulgarian Orthodox Church and initiate a new schism.
The History of the Old-Rite Church
Following the fall of communism in 1989, several groups of clergy broke away from the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, accusing it of deviating from the faith and the definitions of the Ecumenical Councils by adopting the Gregorian calendar. These groups, known as ‘Old-Rite’ or ‘Old-Calendarist’, are associated with separate metropolitan bishops in Greece.
In 1990, a faction united around ‘Bishop’ Rosen Siromahov – Foti (ordained in 1993 in Greece by Greek clergy). This group attempted to register in 1993 as the ‘Bulgarian Old-Rite Orthodox Church’ but was rejected. They continued to submit registration applications, which were consistently denied by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ ‘Religions’ Directorate and rejected by the courts on two occasions.
This Old-Rite Church claims to represent around 70,000 believers in Bulgaria, although this figure is likely inflated, and their actual numbers are in the thousands. They maintain 20 churches and 9-10 chapels in various cities and villages, and publish a magazine, books, brochures, and calendars. They also have a male monastery in Bogdan (Karlovo) and a convent in Kniazhevo, Sofia, with around 60-65 nuns.
Other Old-Rite and Alternative Orthodox Groups
In 2008, the ‘True Orthodox Bulgarian Church’ was registered, led by ‘Metropolitan’ Danail, who was previously associated with the alternative Synod of Inokentiy. Another group, the ‘Church of True Orthodox Christians in Bulgaria’, is led by Priest Stefan Stefanov in Plovdiv and publishes annual church calendars, books, and brochures. A smaller group, the ‘Mount Athos Mission in Bulgaria’, is connected to the Monastery of Esphigmenou on Mount Athos, Greece, and publishes propaganda materials.
In 2011, a group of 15-17 monks attempted to register the ‘New Orthodox Church’ but was denied due to claims that they aimed to succeed the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. The VKС’ recent decision to register the ‘Bulgarian Orthodox Old-Rite Church’ has raised concerns that other Old-Rite groups may follow suit.
The Legal and Political Context
The registration of the Old-Rite Church contradicts Article 13(3) of the Bulgarian Constitution, which recognizes the Bulgarian Orthodox Church as the traditional religion, and Article 10 of the Religious Denominations Act, which specifies that only the Bulgarian Orthodox Church can represent Eastern Orthodox Christianity in Bulgaria.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ ‘Religions’ Directorate has consistently opposed the registration of the Old-Rite Church, with their most recent negative opinion dated August 12, 2022. The Directorate argues that the church’s charter and name contradict the aforementioned legal provisions.
The registration of the Old-Rite Church is a result of the shortcomings and non-implementation of the Religious Denominations Act, adopted in 2003. Since its adoption, 236 religious denominations have been registered, compared to just 113 before 2003. This liberal approach to registration has led to the registration of numerous groups with similar beliefs and practices, as well as groups with suspicious reputations and activities.
What Needs to Happen?
To address this issue, the following actions should be taken:
- Revoke registrations: Many registered religious institutions can be deregistered due to shared beliefs, identical addresses, or being local branches of already registered denominations.
- Amend the Religious Denominations Act: Introduce provisions ensuring that:
- No two religious groups can share the same name or address.
- A minimum number of followers is required for registration (e.g., 2,000 in Austria or 10,000 in the Czech Republic).
- The Sofia City Court requires an expert opinion from the ‘Religions’ Directorate and an expert committee when registering religious groups.
- Local branches can only be registered with the relevant municipality, with a minimum of 20-25 members.
- Promote political action: Political parties and members of parliament should use this case to introduce comprehensive amendments to the Religious Denominations Act, ensuring that similar incidents do not occur with other traditional Bulgarian churches.
By taking these steps, Bulgaria can establish a more orderly registration process for religious groups, prevent the infiltration of foreign missionaries and suspicious religious organizations, and maintain the unity of its traditional churches.