site.btaBulgarian Orthodox Church Slams Supreme Court Judgment on Old Calendar Orthodox Church Registration

The Bulgarian Orthodox Church - Bulgarian Patriarchate (BOC-BP) has expressed strong concern over a recent decision by the Supreme Court of Cassation, which saw the Old Calendar Orthodox Church of Bulgaria (OCOCB) registered with the Sofia City Court. In a statement issued by the Bulgarian Patriarchate, the Church called the decision “as unexpected as it is unfortunate, with serious consequences for the future.” The statement comes a day after these concerns were voiced by Patriarch Daniil.

The Church emphasized that the ruling could lead to new divisions within Bulgarian Orthodoxy. “Once again, the identity of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church – Bulgarian Patriarchate is being called into question,” the statement read. “This decision opens the door, through this judicial precedent, to the creation of multiple organizations that will claim to be ‘Orthodox Churches.’”

The Bulgarian Orthodox Church reaffirmed that it is the sole institutional representative of the traditional Eastern Orthodox faith in Bulgaria. According to Article 13 of the Bulgarian Constitution, Eastern Orthodoxy is recognized as the traditional religion of the country, and the BOC – BP is the official representative of this faith, as stated in Article 10 of the Religious Denominations Act.

The BOC also referred to a fundamental principle of canonical law, which asserts that only one Orthodox Church can exist within a given state, led by a single head and governing body. The Church stated that allowing multiple bishops to hold jurisdiction over the same territory within the same national Church is a violation of divine and sacred ecclesiastical rules established by the Ecumenical Councils. The registration of another "Orthodox Church" within Bulgaria, the BOC argued, contradicts this canonical principle and undermines the religious rights of Orthodox Christians in the country, casting doubt on their right to religious self-determination.

The statement further addressed the Supreme Court’s claim that the calendar difference between the two churches constitutes a “doctrinal” (dogmatic) difference. The Bulgarian Orthodox Church contended that if the Old Calendar Orthodox Church is indeed doctrinally distinct, it should not be able to refer to itself as “Orthodox.” The Church emphasized that such an organization could only be registered as a non-Orthodox (heterodox) entity, or it must accept that it is an inseparable part of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church – Bulgarian Patriarchate.

The BOC also clarified that the use of different calendar styles is not a doctrinal issue, pointing out that the Bulgarian Orthodox Church is in full Eucharistic and canonical communion with several other Orthodox Churches, such as the Jerusalem Patriarchate, the Serbian Orthodox Church, and the Russian Orthodox Church, all of which follow the “Old Style” calendar.

Furthermore, certain parishes within the BOC – BP follow the "Old Style" calendar by concession (canonical economia), with the blessing of their respective bishops.

In conclusion, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church called on members of the Old Calendar Orthodox Church to return to the canonical Bulgarian Orthodox Church – Bulgarian Patriarchate, urging unity within the Church.