The Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church has approved the decision to depose Archimandrite Dionysius (Mishev). This means that he will no longer be a priest, but remains a monk and has not been excommunicated from the Church, Nova TV reports.
The decision was made at a meeting on October 2, when the Holy Synod in full constituted itself as a Church Court and considered the case against Dionysius. The Synod confirmed the decision of the Sofia Diocesan Church Court of September 1, which imposed the punishment of “Demotion from rank, without excommunication from the Church“.
“For“ The following members of the Holy Synod voted for the above decision: Bulgarian Patriarch Daniil, Metropolitan Grigoriy of Veliko Tarnovo, Metropolitan Ignatius of Pleven, Metropolitan Gabriel of Lovchani, Metropolitan Anthony of Western and Central Europe, Metropolitan John of Varna and Veliko Preslav, Metropolitan Seraphim of Nevrokop, Metropolitan Grigoriy of Vratsa, Metropolitan Pachomius of Vidin.
„Against“ and with a dissenting opinion, the following members of the Holy Synod voted: Metropolitan Nahum of Ruse, Metropolitan Cyprian of Stara Zagora, Metropolitan Yakov of Dorostol and Metropolitan Arseny of Sliven. The Metropolitan of the USA, Canada and Australia, Joseph, and the Metropolitan of Plovdiv, Nikolai, were absent from the session.
The reasons for the decision indicate the repeated public insults and defamatory statements against clergymen established in the case, as well as the indecent activity. The court accepts that the total gravity of the committed canonical and statutory offenses, their intentional nature and the offense caused justify the imposed punishment and do not provide grounds for replacing it with a lighter one.
The decision is final, and the punishment enters into force from the date of its confirmation – October 2, 2026. With this, Dionysius (Mishev) ceases to be a cleric (priest), remaining a monk and not excommunicated from the Church.
From this date, monk Dionysius (Mishev) does not have the right to wear priestly vestments, celebrate the Holy Liturgy, perform and participate as a priest in any liturgical services of the Church, give a priestly blessing and wear the distinctive signs of the archimandrite dignity - an archimandrite cross on his chest.
The decision will be published in the “Church Gazette“ and the official website of the Holy Synod, and the Local Orthodox Churches will be notified of it.