Metropolitan Daniil of Vidin was elected as the new Bulgarian patriarch with the votes of 69 delegates from the Patriarchal Electoral Council. Metropolitan Grigory of Vratsa received 66, and three ballots were invalid. What to expect from Patriarch Daniel … Smilen Markov, lecturer in the Department of "Biblical and Systematic Theology" spoke to FACTS. at the University of Veliko Tarnovo and a visiting researcher in Oxford.
- Mr. Markov, we have a new patriarch, but how should we look at the election of Daniil, who was quite disputed during the voting in the Patriarchal Electoral Council? Three more votes made Daniel first among equals?
- This is a historical choice, but it should not be seen as something decided from today to tomorrow, because a patriarch can only become an acting metropolitan. Daniel had previously been a bishop, he had forged the spiritual path. But there is a certain regularity in his selection - Daniel is part of a new generation of hierarchs. He himself was under the spiritual guidance of the late Nevrokop Metropolitan Nathanael, who also has several other spiritual children who are in the higher clergy.
- Now we saw just such a clash, because Gregory was also under the wing of Nathanael. As they say, they are soul mates with Daniel?
- This is the case at the time of the election, but, looking at a more distant perspective, we can see the following trend: a new generation, formed by one of the iconic metropolitans from the recent past, is coming to the fore. As for the voting, Daniil was elected in the second round, that is, in a runoff. This means that the scales were not in one direction, and the result is almost 50 to 50. All this clearly shows that we are dealing with two almost equally powerful tendencies, which are personified by the two candidates at the moment.
The difficulties and challenges are great not only for the patriarch, but also for those who chose him, and for the whole church.
The patriarch differs from the office of a diocesan metropolitan, because initially the patriarchal ministry represents the entire church performance with its various visions and tendencies.
- Daniel's youth to what extent is it a plus for him?
- Youth in the church is not determined only by the number of years, but also by the years of ministry. Indeed, Daniel is relatively young in age, but he has the necessary years for the respective positions and ministries. Like every bishop, he began as a monk. All who know him say of him that he remains a very staunch and strict ascetic and lives a truly monastic life. But there can be no doubt that he is competent and prepared, including and prepared for administrative management, hierarch. We are used to seeing rather white-haired people in the position of patriarch, but still everything is in God's hands. We wholeheartedly wish him health, well-being and a gracious ministry on the patriarchal throne. Otherwise, I also understand the subtext of your question. Probably some are figuring out when the throne will be vacant again. These cuts are questionable from a moral point of view. And life teaches us that usually the math of who will be in a given position for how long does not turn out to be correct. And that's because none of us is the master of the future.
- The presence of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, how should we read it?
- This is an extremely significant event. We must immediately mention the presence of hierarchs from other local churches. Yes, this is common and obligatory, but this is not about foreign churches. Relations are not like those between countries, when a state ritual is visited by ambassadors of foreign countries. There are no foreign Orthodox churches. We are talking about a conciliar church, and the Bulgarian Orthodox Church carries the fullness of the entire Ecumenical Church. This applies accordingly to every diocese and every church with a throne where the liturgy is celebrated. The same is true for the other local churches, because they also carry this fullness. And the fact that they are here is a visible manifestation of what every Orthodox believes and professes, as long as he knows why he is in the church and the temple at all. This on the one hand.
On the other hand, however, it is significant that Patriarch Bartholomew is present in person.
He was invited by the vice-president of the Holy Synod, Metropolitan Gregory. Deep autoimmune forces and intuitions were activated here, because after the non-participation of the Bulgarian Church in the Council of Crete in 2016, the jurisdiction fell into severe isolation. And the legitimacy, solidity, independence of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church depends directly on the communication it has with the other local churches. Communication with the Ecumenical Patriarchate, which was emphasized to be the mother of the Bulgarian Church not only in tradition, but also in practice, is especially important. The invitation to Bartholomew is an attempt - regardless of who would be elected and regardless of which trend will prevail, to show that the foundation of the Bulgarian Church is the One Holy and Congregational Church and that this does not depend on the Bulgarian state and the current political trends in our country and beyond. the world. To me, this is a self-protective reaction and I think it is extremely timely and wise.
- Do you see geopolitics in Daniil's choice? It was highlighted where he lived, where he served, what he participated in, what he spoke... Or we just have to give him some time to see where he will look…
- Surely he should be given time, although being a patriarch is not like being a prime minister, to be given 100 days. The patriarch has a certain biography, a certain baggage. Otherwise, there is always geopolitics and this is not something new. But let's not jump to conclusions about his embarrassing past statements that are now being recalled. He made them in his capacity as a diocesan metropolitan. Indeed, these statements can be interpreted as a justification of Russian aggression in Ukraine, which obviously does not correspond to the truth. War, especially war of aggression by one country against another, cannot be justified in any way. There is a statement criticizing the Ecumenical Patriarch without foundation. Let us see how His Holiness Daniel will act and speak as a patriarch, because the patriarchal ministry is specific and extremely responsible.
We have already seen that an attempt was made in the first communication between Bartholomew and Daniel to emphasize the unity, to emphasize the common faith.
This deserves admiration. Christ is the One who unites the church, not one or another geopolitical line that currently dominates. I was also impressed that the newly elected Patriarch Daniel talked about the need for religious education. This is an important issue, even though religious education in schools is more the subject of the secular state. But he is undoubtedly right: Bulgarian society, even those members of it who define themselves as Orthodox, are for the most part uneducated; they do not know the faith they profess. The Patriarch must turn to the Bulgarian congregation, to the Bulgarian Orthodox Christians, to those who define themselves as such, and show them that they are in dire need of church education. Ignorance of the teaching of the faith, which is not at all simple and easy to learn, is a very serious problem – both for the church and for society. It should be addressed so that people realize it. Catechism and church education are needed by the Bulgarian-speaking Orthodox – both within the borders of Bulgaria and in the Bulgarian diaspora throughout the world. This is where the main efforts of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church-Bulgarian Patriarchate should be directed. This is her mission now.