On 10 May, 1953, the third ecclesiastical and national council in Sofia declared the Bulgarian Orthodox church a Patriarchate - from an Exarchate.
The Metropolitan Bishop of Plovdiv Cyril was elected patriarch after a 560-year break. In the years that followed, the Bulgarian Patriarchate was recognized by all Orthodox churches. On 27 July, 1961, the Patriarchate of Constantinople also officially recognized the Patriarchate of Bulgaria.
After the fall of Tarnovo under Ottoman rule in 1393, the independent Bulgarian church was done away with and was subordinate to the Patriarchate of Constantinople. It was only in 1870 that Sultan Abdulaziz, under pressure by the Bulgarians, signed a firman on the establishment of a Bulgarian Exarchate and the independent Bulgarian church was restored.
Photos: Bulgarian Patriarchate, BTA
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On November 22 and 23, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church will solemnly celebrate the 100th anniversary of the consecration of the Patriarchal Cathedral "St...
The Patriarchal Cathedral of St Alexander Nevsky is celebrating its temple feast today. The cathedral, a symbol of the Bulgarian capital, was built "in..
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