The Bulgarian Orthodox Church (BOC) managed to resist internal political pressure. Thus Milen Keremedchiev commented in the special studio of bTV “The Patriarch of Bulgaria” the relationship of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church with the other Orthodox churches.
„In the context of the contradictory signals emitted by the last few Bulgarian governments in recent years, the role of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church on the international stage is increasing. We see the support and trust in it the Bulgarian citizens have, he explained.
Milen Keremedchiev believes that this is exactly what makes her the target of attacks from the various currents that are being admired at the moment.
He also commented on the confrontation between the politics of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and the Russian Patriarch Kirill. According to him, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church sits somewhere between them and is involved in this feud.
„The presence of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew is unprecedented – so far there has been no such presence during the election of a Bulgarian patriarch. This shows his definite desire for our church to have a much closer relationship with the Ecumenical Patriarchate. And secondly – this is a sign that the influence of the Russian Orthodox Church in Bulgaria should be reduced, he added.
Milen Keremedchiev also commented that more and more Ukrainian clerics are being observed in our country. According to him, serious pressure will be placed on the new patriarch for the recognition of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Church.
„Two topics will emerge on the foreign policy level. First – the recognition of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and limitation of contacts with the Russian Orthodox Church. Second – the review of our relations with the Macedonian Orthodox Church and an analysis of its increasingly close relations with the Serbian Orthodox Church”, he also said.
He defined as a mistake from a foreign policy point of view the refusal of the Holy Synod to become a “mother“ of the Macedonian Orthodox Church. This, according to him, could have eased the political tension through the church.