Monsignor Rumen Stanev headed the Sofia-Plovdiv Catholic diocese. The news was announced simultaneously in the Vatican by the press service of the Holy See and in Plovdiv - in the "Saint Ludwig" cathedral by the apostolic nuncio Monsignor Luciano Suriani, the representative of the Pope in Bulgaria.
The new leader of the Catholics in Plovdiv and Sofia, Monsignor Rumen Stanev, was until now an auxiliary bishop of the largest diocese in Bulgaria and bishop of Simidika. For many years before that, he served as a priest in Rakovski - in the parish "Sacred Heart of Jesus" in General Nikolaevo and in "Saint Archangel Michael" in Sekirovo.
Dozens of believers, priests and nuns gathered on Wednesday in the Plovdiv cathedral to hear the chosen one of Pope Leo XIV and to congratulate him.
Monsignor Luciano Suriani, papal nuncio to Bulgaria: "The new bishop will consecrate, he must be a good shepherd, work with the priests and with everyone, each person brings his own personal contribution and imprint depending on character and age, but I think that from now on many good things will happen for the diocese."
Source: bntnews.bg