More than 2,000 Bulgarian Orthodox clergy, monastics, and lay faithful have signed an appeal urging the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church to reconsider the planned visit of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to Rila Monastery.
The petition, which organizers say had gathered more than 2,100 signatures by the end of September, was addressed to Bulgarian Patriarch Daniel and the members of the Holy Synod. Its signatories express concern over Patriarch Bartholomew’s expected participation in the October celebrations honoring St. John of Rila, one of the most beloved saints of the Bulgarian Church.
The commemorations mark 1,150 years since the birth and 1,080 years since the repose of St. John of Rila. Earlier this year, the Bulgarian Holy Synod approved an invitation for Patriarch Bartholomew to attend events in Bulgaria, including celebrations at the historic Rila Monastery.
The petitioners’ main concern is the planned Divine Liturgy on October 19. The signatories object to the prospect of Bulgarian hierarchs concelebrating with the Ecumenical Patriarch, citing questions about Orthodox ecclesiology, ecumenical dialogue, and the ongoing dispute over the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.
Patriarch Bartholomew granted a tomos of autocephaly to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine in 2019, a decision that remains contested within world Orthodoxy. While several Local Orthodox Churches have recognized the Ukrainian body, others have rejected or declined to recognize it. The Bulgarian Orthodox Church has not formally adopted a position recognizing the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.
For this reason, some of the Bulgarian petitioners argue that liturgical concelebration with Patriarch Bartholomew during the Rila celebrations could be interpreted as carrying broader ecclesiastical implications. That interpretation remains the position of the petition’s supporters, not an officially stated conclusion of the Bulgarian Holy Synod.
A separate appeal has also been directed to Patriarch Bartholomew himself, asking him to refrain from visiting Rila Monastery amid the controversy.
The growing petition reflects unease among a segment of Bulgarian Orthodox clergy and faithful over the visit and over wider questions affecting relations among the Local Orthodox Churches.
As of early October, however, the Bulgarian Holy Synod has not publicly announced any cancellation or alteration of the planned visit. Patriarch Bartholomew’s participation in the commemorations therefore remains scheduled.
The coming weeks are likely to bring further attention to the issue as the feast of St. John of Rila approaches and as Bulgarian church authorities consider the public appeal.
October 1, 2026, www.helleniscope.com, n.stamatakis@aol.com
DISCLAIMER: The views and statements expressed in this article constitute constitutionally protected opinions of this author.
