This article is missing information about the resolution of the schism in 2015. Please expand the article to include this information. Further details may exist on the talk page.(August 2022)
The Bulgarian Orthodox Church – Alternative synod was an Eastern Orthodox Church that claimed to be the sole legitimate Orthodox Church in Bulgaria, between 1992 and 2015.[1][2]
Bulgarian Orthodox Church - Alternative synod Българска православна църква - Алтернативен синод
In 1991 the new Bulgarian government created a Board of Religious Affairs that began to initiate reforms in the country’s religious institutions. In March 1992 it ruled that the 1971 election of Bulgarian Patriarch Maxim had been recognized illegal because he had been appointed by the communist government in an uncanonical manner. This triggered a division among the bishops, and several of them under the leadership of Metropolitan Pimen (Enev) of Nevrokop called publicly for Maxim’s deposition, forming the Alternative synod. They were condemned as schismatics by the official Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. The dispute hardened into an even deeper division when, on July 4, 1996, Metropolitan Pimen was installed as rival Patriarch and was anathematized by Maxim’s Holy Synod.
When Petar Stoyanov was sworn in as Bulgarian President in January 1997, Pimen conducted a blessing ceremony, and in March 1997 the Supreme Administrative Court ruled that the registration of Maxim’s Holy Synod was invalid. In January 1998 President Stoyanov called upon both Patriarchs to resign to provide for the election of a single successor that would end the schism.
In 1998, through mediation of several Eastern Orthodox Churches, an agreement to heal the schism was reached,[3] but soon it turned out that effort for reconciliation were short-lived. Patriarch Pimen died in 1999, and Metropolitan Inokentii (Petrov) was elected new head of the Alternative synod, but without the title of patriarch. In December 2002 a new Bulgarian law on religion marginalized and started to persecute the Alternative Synod. Eventually the Bulgarian authorities decided to intervene. On the night of July 20–21, 2004, priests of the Alternative Synod that opposed Patriarch Maxim’s leadership were forcibly evicted from approximately 250 churches and other properties that the Holy Synod claimed they were illegally occupying. In the immediate aftermath of the operation, clerics from the Alternative Synod held religious services outside of the churches from which they had been evicted.
A synod was held in 2008 for the election of the new head of the Church, and Metropolitan Inokentii was elected as the leading hierarch. In 2010, Metropolitan Inokentii called for a healing of division between the churches.[4]
Patriarch Neofit, elected official Patriarch on 24 February 2013, has been recognised as being influential and for his perseverance in ending the schism.[5]
^Orthodoxy Cognate Page (2015): Full Union of the Bulgarian Alternative Synod with the Bulgarian Orthodox Patriarchate Realized
^Russian Orthodox Church (1998): Church schism in Bulgaria healed
^Novinite (2010): Bulgarian Orthodox Church Vows End of Schism
^Bulgaria to confer highest state honour on Orthodox Church head, Sofia Globe, published 13 October 2015, accessed 31 July 2022
Sources
Gordon-Melton, John (2010). "Bulgarian Alternative Orthodox Church". Religions of the World: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices (2nd ed.). ABC-CLIO. pp. 450–451. ISBN9781598842043.
Legislationline: Case of Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church (Metropolitan Inokentiy) and Others v. Bulgaria
External links
Orthodoxy Cognate Page (2009): Bulgarian President hopes for Patriarch’s Kirill support in struggle against schismatics
Orthodoxy Cognate Page (2010): Bulgaria Snubs ECHR Ruling in Favor of Alternative Orthodox Church
Orthodox History (2018): The Pan-Orthodox Council of 1998
February 07, 2023
bulgarian, orthodox, church, alternative, synod, this, article, missing, information, about, resolution, schism, 2015, please, expand, article, include, this, information, further, details, exist, talk, page, august, 2022, eastern, orthodox, church, that, clai. This article is missing information about the resolution of the schism in 2015 Please expand the article to include this information Further details may exist on the talk page August 2022 The Bulgarian Orthodox Church Alternative synod was an Eastern Orthodox Church that claimed to be the sole legitimate Orthodox Church in Bulgaria between 1992 and 2015 1 2 Bulgarian Orthodox Church Alternative synodBlgarska pravoslavna crkva Alternativen sinodClassificationEastern OrthodoxyGovernanceEpiscopalLeaderPimen Enev 1992 1999 Inokentii Petrov 1999 2012 LanguageBulgarian and Old Church SlavicTerritoryBulgariaIndependence1992Reunion2010 2015Separated fromBulgarian Orthodox Church Contents 1 History 2 References 3 Sources 4 External linksHistory EditIn 1991 the new Bulgarian government created a Board of Religious Affairs that began to initiate reforms in the country s religious institutions In March 1992 it ruled that the 1971 election of Bulgarian Patriarch Maxim had been recognized illegal because he had been appointed by the communist government in an uncanonical manner This triggered a division among the bishops and several of them under the leadership of Metropolitan Pimen Enev of Nevrokop called publicly for Maxim s deposition forming the Alternative synod They were condemned as schismatics by the official Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church The dispute hardened into an even deeper division when on July 4 1996 Metropolitan Pimen was installed as rival Patriarch and was anathematized by Maxim s Holy Synod When Petar Stoyanov was sworn in as Bulgarian President in January 1997 Pimen conducted a blessing ceremony and in March 1997 the Supreme Administrative Court ruled that the registration of Maxim s Holy Synod was invalid In January 1998 President Stoyanov called upon both Patriarchs to resign to provide for the election of a single successor that would end the schism In 1998 through mediation of several Eastern Orthodox Churches an agreement to heal the schism was reached 3 but soon it turned out that effort for reconciliation were short lived Patriarch Pimen died in 1999 and Metropolitan Inokentii Petrov was elected new head of the Alternative synod but without the title of patriarch In December 2002 a new Bulgarian law on religion marginalized and started to persecute the Alternative Synod Eventually the Bulgarian authorities decided to intervene On the night of July 20 21 2004 priests of the Alternative Synod that opposed Patriarch Maxim s leadership were forcibly evicted from approximately 250 churches and other properties that the Holy Synod claimed they were illegally occupying In the immediate aftermath of the operation clerics from the Alternative Synod held religious services outside of the churches from which they had been evicted A synod was held in 2008 for the election of the new head of the Church and Metropolitan Inokentii was elected as the leading hierarch In 2010 Metropolitan Inokentii called for a healing of division between the churches 4 Patriarch Neofit elected official Patriarch on 24 February 2013 has been recognised as being influential and for his perseverance in ending the schism 5 References Edit Gordon Melton 2010 p 450 451 Orthodoxy Cognate Page 2015 Full Union of the Bulgarian Alternative Synod with the Bulgarian Orthodox Patriarchate Realized Russian Orthodox Church 1998 Church schism in Bulgaria healed Novinite 2010 Bulgarian Orthodox Church Vows End of Schism Bulgaria to confer highest state honour on Orthodox Church head Sofia Globe published 13 October 2015 accessed 31 July 2022Sources EditGordon Melton John 2010 Bulgarian Alternative Orthodox Church Religions of the World A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices 2nd ed ABC CLIO pp 450 451 ISBN 9781598842043 Legislationline Case of Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church Metropolitan Inokentiy and Others v BulgariaExternal links EditOrthodoxy Cognate Page 2009 Bulgarian President hopes for Patriarch s Kirill support in struggle against schismatics Orthodoxy Cognate Page 2010 Bulgaria Snubs ECHR Ruling in Favor of Alternative Orthodox Church Orthodox History 2018 The Pan Orthodox Council of 1998 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bulgarian Orthodox Church Alternative synod amp oldid 1101623232, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
