Metropolitan Anthony of Western and Central Europe: Bulgarian Orthodox Church Played Key Role in Rescue of Jews

Metropolitan Anthony of Western and Central Europe argues that the Bulgarian Orthodox Church played a key role in the rescue of Jews from the Nazi death camps during World War II. BTA spoke to the Metropolitan on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the salvation of Bulgarian Jews this year, whose culmination is on March 10. He called the Jews' rescue "a humane act, an act of sacrificial love for one's fellow man".

"The role of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church is fundamental, because if the Holy Synod, then headed by the Bulgarian Exarch and Metropolitan of Sofia Stephen, had not stood firm and resolute in defence of the human rights and the fundamental right to life of the Bulgarian Jews, perhaps this truly historic fact would not have come about, because we are the only country that did not sacrifice a single Bulgarian Jew. Due to the fact that the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church did not hesitate to defend this principled issue, which was one of self-sacrificial love, of humaneness, of preserving the right to live, which is inherent to every human being, we are truly proud of this. And in retrospect, we acknowledge precisely this historic act that the Bulgarian Orthodox Church has performed, and it is universally recognized not only by the Jewish community, but also worldwide."

Following is the full interview:

Q: The work of Exarch Stephen, of Metropolitan Cyril of Plovdiv, later Bulgarian Patriarch, is immeasurable, because it is connected with the boundless love of one's neighbour and it has remained in eternity as it is. Do the present generations and especially young Bulgarians know enough about the decisive role of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church and its moral position?

A: It is our task to constantly recall this act, not only on such significant anniversaries, but also every year, together with the Bulgarian Jewish community, when the Bulgarian Exarch Stefan and the Bulgarian Patriarch Cyril are commemorated at Bachkovo Monastery, where their graves are also located, the grateful Jewish community always goes to witness this gratitude in deed, attending the celebration of these anniversaries. In our times, perhaps this act should be constantly recalled, because it is indeed an unconditional act, one that above all seeks no gain. To save a friend is understandable, to save one who is a brother in Christ by faith is understandable, but when you reach out to another who is distant in some way and does not profess your religious views, that is truly an act of supreme love to which Christ calls us. Christ says, "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." And no one has greater love than this, to lay down one's soul for one's neighbour. We speak of this love because the times were quite troubled and then the shadow of war also hung over our country. And then to take such a stand was truly Christian courage and firm confidence in upholding those Christian principles and norms - of love for one's neighbor.

Q: But how did the Bulgarian church leaders manage to take this moral stand in defence of the Bulgarian Jews in those difficult and troubled times?

A: They were guided primarily not by the powerful of the day, not by the fear of punishment, sanctions, for indeed the times were troubled, divisive and it was a terrible time - a time of war. They were following the moral law which their vicarial duty enjoined, namely, when we take the oath, when we become bishops, we say that we will observe the canons of the Orthodox Church, we will not yield to the pressures of the powerful of the day, and we will uphold all that God's divine and moral law decree. He commands us to be humane, to be human, to love mankind with the love Apostle Paul speaks about, love as a supreme virtue that is above all, one that "always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

And that is why the Bulgarian Exarch Stephen I and the Metropolitan of Plovdiv Cyril, the future Bulgarian Patriarch, testified in deed, even at the risk of losing their lives, or being thrown into prison, chained, for this act, which was seemingly then unattainable for anyone and no one would dare. But the Church dared because it was guided by the humaneness which it showed towards the Bulgarian Jews.

That is why the names of the Bulgarian Exarch Stefan and of the Bulgarian Patriarch Cyril are inscribed in the memorial which commemorates all the victims and Bulgaria's contribution at Yad Vashem, and so have remained eternal in the grateful memory not only of the Bulgarian Jews, but of all Jews to whom we lent a hand to their brothers and saved the Bulgarian Jews.

The Bulgarian Orthodox Church and the Holy Synod keep in their archives the minutes which recorded those important historic decisions in 1943 and one of these books of minutes us before us. This is the Holy Synod’s book of minutes in full for 1943. At one of the meetings from June 25, 1943, where quite a few decisions that have to do with the rescue of the Bulgarian Jews are mentioned, in the first item, after the report of the Chief Secretary of the Holy Synod, the record says that the Holy Synod already had a definite opinion on the Jewish question: ‘There are no reasons for us to retract from this opinion,’ the bishops of the Holy Synod say. ‘On the contrary, we should point out again to the government that the Jews are being mistreated even now, and we should insist on that again, whatever the attitude of the State towards them. Let it be humane and fair. Let us insist that they not be expelled from our country’ - here are these main decisions and with one of them the Holy Synod stands firm and unwavering in its position that it will defend the right to life of Bulgarian Jews, who are not only part of our country, but are also part of the lives of our fellow countrymen. It is well known that Bulgaria is home to multi-religious communities and a multicultural population, and despite these cultural or religious differences, we live well together and share both the adversities and the joys of our life's journey.

These minutes are kept in the archives of the Holy Synod because they are part of those meetings that were held then in 1943.

Q: How should children, students and the younger generation be told about this very important, pain-filled anniversary?

A: I do not think there is a human heart that does not quiver when it reads this truly epochal historical fact - the rescue of the Bulgarian Jews by the Bulgarian state, by the Bulgarian church, all together, in defence of the right to life, which is intrinsic to every human being.

Naturally, we should call, as the Bulgarian Orthodox Church has always called, that we should cherish our time, we should preserve the Christian family as it should be in its relations with each other. Namely, in the love that should be between man and woman, in the love with which children should be brought up, that they should learn Christian values, faith, morals, that they should be good in society, that they should lend a hand to those in need, that they should not overlook human pain and suffering, that they should be merciful, because that is what Christ calls us to: 'Be merciful'.

Let us do good, let us be peacemakers in these troubled times of economic and especially spiritual crisis, of war. It is as though we are returning again to those troubled times, in which the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church raised its voice in defence of the right to life of the neighbour. And now we must raise our voices to protect the future of our nation, the future of our adolescent youth, to protect them from the lurking hand of evil, which, unfortunately, takes young lives every day, destroys destinies, destroys families, separates parents - mothers from their children and children from their parents. We must call on society to look seriously at this terrible problem - the moral decay in adolescent youth - and try together to be the ones to preserve the youth of children and the integrity of the family.

The study of religion as a compulsory, regular subject in Bulgarian schools is a pressing need here and now. It is increasingly necessary and should not be postponed. I urge those on whom it depends in the Bulgarian State to approach the matter very responsibly, with the future not only of their children in mind, but also of our nation. The sooner we begin to work with young people to teach them good and evil, how they can distinguish good from evil, to prefer good and reject evil from themselves, to acquire more and more Christian virtues in themselves and to reject all those negative means and habits that lead them away from God. Above all, let us know that we want to bring up spiritually upright children who will take up their responsibilities when they become mature men and women in our society, because it is important for us to inculcate a divine, moral, ethical law - these are the Ten Commandments, and they are fundamental to Islam, as well as to Judaism and to Christianity.

Because they are set down in these three major religions, this gives us a great and good ground for the future introduction of religion as a regular subject in Bulgarian schools. Naturally, with the peculiarity in the special areas where there are different ethnic communities, religious communities, there will be an emphasis on their religion, but it will be on the basis of this divine, moral law that makes us human and good people.”

Q: The Bulgarian Orthodox Church has wanted "Religion" to become a compulsory subject in Bulgarian schools for years...

A: We have insisted for years, and rightly so, because we are concerned about the future of adolescent youth. If we look not only at the news, but also at the reality of our daily lives, everyone can look around and see what the disastrous consequences are of children growing up casually, without a religious upbringing, without any moral foundations to guide them in their life.