On January 23, a meeting was held at the Holy Metropolis of Sofia building with Patriarch Daniel of Bulgaria, Metropolitan of Sofia, and Acting Prosecutor General Mr. Borislav Sarafov, along with Deputy Prosecutors General Ms. Elena Karakaseva and Ms. Vania Stefanova.
The meeting was initiated by the Prosecutor’s Office and included Bishop Gerasimos of Melnik, Secretary General of the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church (BOC), Bishop Pachomios of Vranitsa, Associate Professor Dr. Maria Kioseva, Legal Advisor to the Holy Synod of the BOC, and Dr. Alexandros Smotsefski, Canon Law Advisor to the Metropolitan of Sofia and Patriarch of Bulgaria.
Patriarch Daniel informed Mr. Borislav Sarafov about the attempt to register a parallel, uncanonical Orthodox Church in Bulgaria. Mr. Sarafov affirmed that the Bulgarian Orthodox Church – Patriarchate of Bulgaria (BOC-BP) is the only Orthodox Church in the country with a significant historical role and national identity, recognized by the Constitution as a traditional religion.
The meeting also discussed the proposal to include “Religion – Orthodoxy” in the general education curriculum. The Prosecutor General and deputies supported Patriarch Daniel’s suggestion, highlighting the importance of Orthodox values in preserving Bulgarian heritage and promoting interfaith dialogue for societal harmony. They agreed that educating youth about Orthodox faith will enhance spiritual growth.
Patriarch Daniel and the Prosecutor’s Office committed to enhancing collaboration for the preservation of national unity and addressing social challenges. At the end of the meeting, Patriarch Daniel presented the Acting Prosecutor General and deputies with the book “The Civil-Legal Status of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church” by Associate Professor Dr. Maria Kioseva.
