Bulgarian Orthodox Church headed by supporter of Russian invasion of Ukraine

The Bulgarian Orthodox Church, which is famous for its long-lasting ties with Russia, has elected their new Patriarch, 52-year-old Daniil who openly supported the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Source: European Pravda with reference to BNR

Details: At the meeting of delegates and the Holy Synod, supreme church body of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, Daniil was supported by 69 out of 138 participants. His rival Grigoriy, who takes a neutral stance on the issue, received 66 votes. Three more candidates were recognised as invalid.

Daniil became the successor of Patriarch Neofit who had died in March 2024 and called for the end of the war in Ukraine.

Daniil, in his turn, supported Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in a long video address broadcasted in 2023, and before that, he criticised the tendency to "sow hatred towards one of combatants, labelled as the only aggressor".

He also harshly criticised the decision of the Bulgarian government in September 2023 to expel Archbishop Vasily, Head of the Russian Orthodox Church in Sofia, and two Belarusian priests, accused of serving Russian geopolitical interests.

In 2018,Daniil criticised providing Ukraine with Tomos, as a result of which the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church was established.

The Bulgarian Orthodox Church represents over two thirds of the country's population.

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