site.btaUPDATED Holy Synod to Hold Extraordinary Meeting over Bulgarian Patriarch Neophyte's Death

The Holy Synod will hold an extraordinary meeting on Thursday in connection with the passing of His Holiness the Bulgarian Patriarch and Metropolitan of Sofia Neophyte on Wednesday evening, Bishop Polycarp of Belogradchik told journalists.

The extraordinary meeting will set the date for Patriarch Neophyte’s wake and funeral services.

Bishop Gerasim of Melnik read the Bulgarian Orthodox Church's official announcement of Neophyte's passing.

What's next

According to the Statute of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, “in the event of the death of the Patriarch, the member of the lesser Holy Synod with the longest service as metropolitan shall temporarily head the Holy Synod. He shall duly notify the Local Orthodox churches, the President of the Republic of Bulgaria, the Chair of the National Assembly and the Prime Minister about the demise, and shall execute the duties in guiding the operation of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church – Bulgarian Patriarchate until the election of a Locum Tenens within seven days after the death of the Patriarch”.

The Locum Tenens and the Holy Synod shall undertake the necessary actions related to the election of a new Bulgarian patriarch no later than four months after the patriarchal throne has become vacant.

The Holy Synod shall determine the date on which the church council for the election of a Patriarch shall be convened, and shall direct by circular letter the diocesan metropolitans to convene the diocesan electors on a certain Sunday.

“The person to be elected Bulgarian Patriarch and Metropolitan of Sofia must possess the following qualities: to be serving as a diocesan metropolitan of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church; to be no younger than 50 years of age; to have governed a diocese as a metropolitan for at least five years; to be distinguished by rightful thoughts on the Orthodox faith and by faithful observance of the Church order,” the Statute says.

The Bulgarian Patriarch and Metropolitan of Sofia is elected by a Patriarchal Electoral Church Council, which consists of: the archbishops - metropolitans and bishops of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church - Bulgarian Patriarchate; five representatives of each diocese - three clergymen and two laymen, and from the Sofia diocese ten representatives - six clergymen and four laymen; one representative of the stavropegic monasteries (under the direct control of the Holy Synod/Patriarch), elected by the respective monastic council; two representatives from each diocese of the diocesan monasteries - one monk and one nun, appointed by the respective diocesan bishop; one representative of the secondary spiritual schools, appointed by their leaderships.