site.btaNew Bishop of Catholics of Byzantine Rite in Bulgaria Ordained

The Reverend Petko Valov was ordained here on Saturday as the new Bishop of the Eparchy of St John XXIII for the Catholics of the Byzantine rite in Bulgaria.

At a divine liturgy celebrated at the Cathedral of the St John XXIII Eparchy in Sofia, Pope Francis's decision appointing the new Bishop for the Catholics of the Byzantine rite in Bulgaria was read, and he was handed the episcopal vestments, mitre, cross, crozier and ring.

The chirotonia was performed by three bishops: Valov's predecessor, Monsignor Christo Proykov (chief celebrant), Bishop Strahil Kavalenov of the Diocese of Nicopolis, and Bishop Manuel Nin, Apostolic Exarch to Greece of the Greek Byzantine Catholic Church. They raised the Gospel above the head of the Reverend Petko and intoned "he is worthy". 

In line with the effective Statute of the Catholic Church in Bulgaria, Bishop Christo Proykov, who headed the Eparchy since 1995, resigned after completing the age of 75 in March 2021. The resignation becomes effected after it is accepted by the Pope. As of April 8, 2024, this is a fact with the appointment of the new eparchial bishop.

Petko Valov was born in Sofia on January 8, 1966. He graduated in dental technology from the Yordanka Filaretova College of Medicine in Sofia in 1988. He was admitted to the Pontifical Urban College om 1990 to study philosophy. After transferring to the Pontifical Greek College, he attended courses in theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome (1992-1997), obtaining a licentiate in moral theology from the Pontifical Alphonsian Academy in Rome in 1997.

On October 11, 1997, he was ordained a priest for the Eparchy of St John XXIII. Since 1999, he has been a parish priest of Dormitio Virginis in the Novo Delchevo Village (Southwestern Bulgaria). Since 2008, he has been a delegate of the Catholic Church to the National Council of Religious Communities in Bulgaria. Since 2013, he has been a delegate of the Executive Council of the Nativity of the Lord Diocesan Charitable Foundation for young single mothers. Since 2020, he has been Secretary of the Interritual Bishops' Conference of Bulgaria. Since 2022, he has chaired the Governing Board of Caritas Sofia.