site.btaAtlantic Council of Bulgaria Urges Church Leader to Apologize for Suggesting that Many Bulgarians Are "Kinless"

The Atlantic Council of Bulgaria (ACB) has urged the Head of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Daniil, to apologize for a remark he made in a radio interview, in which he suggested that those who want the name of the St Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sofia to be changed are "kinless."  In a media statement on December 15, the ACB said it is unacceptable for a church leader to use the word "kinless" to describe a large segment of society. "Never before in the 70-year-long history of the institution of the Patriarch in modern Bulgaria has its prelate taken the liberty of issuing such a public affront to people who do not share his view on a given matter," the organization said.

The St Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, one of the symbols of the Bulgarian capital, was conceived as a sign of gratitude to Russia for liberating Bulgaria from Ottoman Turkish rule in 1878. It was consecrated in 1924, forty-two years after its construction began. The cathedral is dedicated to Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky (1221-1263), a prince who played an important role in Russia's medieval history.

Patriarch Daniil made the controversial remark in a Bulgarian National Radio interview on December 13. Asked to comment on calls to change the name of the patriarchal cathedral, which have resurfaced in connection with the centenary of its consecration, Daniil said: "I think this is a big misunderstanding. The people who have the idea don't know what they are talking about. And I am convinced that it comes from non-ecclesiastical circles." He noted that virtually the whole Bulgarian nation responded to the authorities' request to donate funding for the project at the time. "And I ask, do we, their heirs, respect the will and the efforts of the donors for this church? Do we ever think about that? What are we? Shall we call ourselves kinless?"

The controversy about the name of the cathedral has resonated over the decades. Some say Alexander Nevsky was a Russian conqueror and an enemy of Europe.