Bulgaria’s Patriarch is on Moscow’s side

If churches could be at war, it would be within Orthodoxy. The Ukraine issue has completely shattered the traditionally tense relationship between the two most important leaders of the religious community: the Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew and his Moscow counterpart Kirill.

Important voice in the country

The trigger was the recognition of an independent Ukrainian church by Bartholomew five years ago. The former KGB agent Kirill, a supporter of Putin’s imperialist policy, condemned the move in the strongest possible terms and broke off all contact. The process was already highly political at the time. As an expression of Ukrainian self-assertion, it has only gained in importance since the major Russian attack.

The rift continues to shape Orthodoxy to this day. Some churches have followed Constantinople, others Moscow, and others are looking for a middle way. This is significant beyond the spiritual life.

Especially in Eastern and Southeastern Europe, the Orthodox churches have a strong significance for national identity. The church representatives may seem out of time with their robes, beards and ritual chants. But how they position themselves on political issues, including geopolitical ones, carries weight.

Sympathies for the Kremlin

Against this background, the election of a new patriarch in Bulgaria is also a decision about direction. The previous incumbent, Neofit, died in March. The Bulgarian Church has been autocephalous, i.e. independent, since the 10th century. It was abolished at the end of the 14th century with the Ottoman conquest and incorporated into the ecumenical patriarchate of Constantinople.

It has existed in its current form since 1953. The Patriarchate has traditionally maintained close relations with Moscow. The dispute over Ukraine did not lead to a break with Constantinople. However, the existence of an independent Ukrainian church is not recognized.

It is likely to stay that way. Metropolitan Daniil was chosen as one of the three candidates, a clergyman who has shown a remarkable amount of understanding for the Kremlin in the past. He qualified his criticism of the Russian invasion of Ukraine by drawing parallels to the Maidan protests in Kiev, which also represented an attempt at a hostile takeover of power. This corresponds to the Kremlin’s portrayal.

Daniil also strongly condemned the expulsion of three Russian Orthodox priests from Bulgaria last September for espionage activities. In recent years, Sofia has expelled dozens of Russian diplomats from the country on suspicion of espionage.

Russian influence

In Bulgaria, the ties with the big Orthodox brother Russia were very strong for a long time. But since the Russian invasion, the tide has turned. Putin, once the most popular foreign statesman, has lost a lot of sympathy. The country’s Euro-Atlantic integration is only questioned by a minority. However, there is still great scepticism about arms aid to Ukraine.

President Rumen Radev is particularly prominent in this position, which is why he will not be attending the NATO summit next week. Radev welcomed Daniil’s election. There were almost euphoric reactions from the openly pro-Russian parties in parliament, rebirth and greatness.

The election of a pro-Russian patriarch can be seen as a success for Moscow’s shadow diplomacy, even if this alone was hardly the deciding factor. But Russian influence was certainly present.

Patriarch Kirill symbolically broke off all contact with the Bulgarian bishops who had celebrated a mass with Ukrainian dignitaries in Istanbul in May. The Russian ambassador in Sofia called the invitation of the head of the Ukrainian church to the funeral of the deceased patriarch a “huge provocation”.

This is also why Abbot Nikanor, an opponent of Daniil within the church, spoke of an “election according to the KGB script.” The prominent head of the Zagarski Monastery announced his resignation on the same day.

Formation of a government fails again

While Bulgaria’s Orthodox Church now has a spiritual leader again, the country’s political leadership remains vacant. The first attempt to form a government after the elections in June failed on Wednesday. The election winner, Gerb, the conservative party of former Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, failed to find enough support for a majority.

Now the mandate to form a government goes to two other parties. If these parties also fail, new elections will be held. They would be the seventh in just over three years.