Election of the Bulgarian Patriarch: Politics, scheming and God’s will

Archimandrite Dionysius participates in political protests. Photo: glasove.com

The question of who will become the next Patriarch of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church (BOC) remains open and generates wide interest among believers and the public. For the people and the press, it remains a secret. However, Metropolitan Nikolay of Plovdiv is confident that he knows the answer to this question, or at least, he thinks so.

Support for Metropolitan Naum

Several people close to the Plovdiv Metropolitan have stated that the best candidate for the patriarchal post is Metropolitan Naum of Ruse. They argue that the patriarch should be a loving father, caring for both the Church and its parishioners, and that Metropolitan Naum is the best fit for this role.

In reality, however, Metropolitan Naum represents the pro-Phanar camp. He is needed specifically to implement the political plans of the founder and chairman of the political party "Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria" (CEDB), Boyko Borissov.

Borissov aims for cooperation with the West, integration of Bulgaria into the Euro-Atlantic alliance, and if not a break with Russia, then at least an escape from its influence.

Political connections and ambitions of Metropolitan Nikolay

A close friend of Borissov is the same Metropolitan Nikolay of Plovdiv, whom Bulgarian media have accused of excessive political interference. Besides, Metropolitan Nikolai is a well-known intriguer and "church politician" often considered the "gray cardinal" of the Bulgarian Church.

It was he who initiated the joint service with the Ukrainian schismatics in Phanar, and he is the one trying to influence the members of the BOC Synod to ensure they choose the "right" candidate.

Here’s an example:

At the proposal of Metropolitan Nikolay of Plovdiv, at the May session of the BOC Holy Synod, Archimandrite Dionysius was appointed as the assistant to the Western European Metropolitan Anthony for organizing the election of the successor to the late Patriarch Neophyte.

Not everyone in the Synod supported this decision. The same metropolitans who had previously opposed the election of the new Sliven Bishop Arseniy voted against the appointment of Dionysius but found themselves in the minority once again.

Question: Why were they against Dionysius?

The text does not provide a direct answer to why they were against Dionysius. However, given the context, it can be inferred that the opposition to Dionysius likely stems from similar reasons that led to their opposition against other candidates favored by Metropolitan Nikolay, such as political maneuvering and the desire to prevent the consolidation of power within a specific faction in the Church. These metropolitans might have viewed Dionysius as another instrument of Metropolitan Nicholas's political ambitions and influence, which they opposed.

Scandals surrounding Dionysius

The fact is, Archimandrite Dionysius was removed from his position as the rector of the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral after a series of scandals. Not only was he removed from office but he was also prohibited from conducting services, and a special commission was set up to investigate numerous violations. However, the results of the commission’s work were never made public, and Dionysius publicly mocked the Synod's decision to send him to the Rila Monastery for penance, a place he never went. In Bulgaria, Dionysius is said to have never been a true monk and had a monastic service.

In 2007-2008, Dionysius was an active lobbyist for Vasil Bozhkov, supporting his interests in the parliament. Bozhkov is an oligarch, one of the wealthiest people in Bulgaria, accused of several crimes including murder, who has fled to Dubai.

Dionysius' name is also associated with the so-called "archon scandal", where church clerics sold fake titles for large sums of money. Dionysius was involved in this, advising Bishop Tikhon on how and from whom to collect money for such "titles", which is a clear example of simony.

In 2020, Dionysius was an active participant in protests, often appearing in the company of Reneta Indzhova, a former acting Prime Minister of Bulgaria. However, he soon became disillusioned with Indzhova and switched sides to join Boyko Borissov's team, ending up under Metropolitan Nikolay of Plovdiv.

Manipulations and division in the Synod

In Bulgaria, Metropolitan Nikolay of Plovdiv is believed to be willing to appoint Dionysius as an assistant in organizing the elections for the new Patriarch and intended to promote the scandalous archimandrite to the position of Secretary General of the Holy Synod. However, his past scandals and connections with political and business interests not only cause outrage among the faithful but also cast doubt on the objectivity and transparency of the upcoming patriarchal elections.

Moreover, the situation in the Synod of the BOC is such that everything will be decided by literally one vote. Currently, there are two parties: one supporting the liberals (pro-Phanar) and the other supporting the conservatives (referred to as pro-Russian). The most likely candidate from the Phanar group is, as previously mentioned, Metropolitan Naum of Ruse, while the conservative party's candidate is Metropolitan Yoan of Varna. However, Metropolitan Gavriil of Lovech has also submitted his candidacy for the second time, and it is unclear how Metropolitan Nikolay himself will behave.

It should also be noted that to become the Patriarch, a candidate needs to secure 10 out of 14 votes. The current balance of power is 8 to 6 in favor of the liberals. In this situation, a compromise figure might become the Patriarch. For example, one of the older metropolitans, who is not aiming for anything extraordinary—a transitional figure at most.

In any case, it is very difficult to say anything definitive. One can be sure of the pressure that will be exerted on the hierarchs regarding the election of the Patriarch. Time will show who will succumb to this pressure. For now, all we can do is to pray.

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