Balgarianovinite.com Between December 25 and 28, 2025, Bulgarian Patriarch Daniil will be paying an official visit to the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul. Elected on June 30, 2024 as head of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, he somewhat delayed his traditional post-election “peaceful visits” – or visit of canonical communion to the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and to the other local churches, although there is no fixed time for a patriarch to pay such visits. In the meantime, two months after his enthronement, he met with Patriarch Bartholomew and several other primates in Tirana at the funeral of Albanian Archbishop Anastasios, as well as at the end of September 2025 at a church conference in Thessaloniki, where the two patriarchs agreed on the arrangements for the forthcoming visit.
Following is a historical timeline of the relations between the Bulgarian Orthodox Church and the Ecumenical Patriarchate, including peaceful visits:
April 3, 1860: During the solemn Easter liturgy at the Bulgarian St. Stephen’s Church in Constantinople, Bishop Hilarion of Makariopolis substitutes “each and every Orthodox bishop” (a formula that can only be used by a primate of an autocephalous church) for the name of Ecumenical Patriarch Cyril VII and mentions the name of Sultan Abdul Mejid I instead of the name of the head of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
1868: Following the Cretan Uprising (1866–1869), the Ottoman Empire seeks to stabilize its European provinces. One strategy is to weaken Greek dominance within the Orthodox millet by accommodating Bulgarian demands for ecclesiastical independence.
February 28, 1870 (Old Style): Sultan Abdul Aziz issues a firman establishing a Bulgarian Exarchate. The document defines a core territory of eparchies and introduces a mechanism whereby additional eparchies may join the Exarchate following a plebiscite. The Exarch, elected by the people and affirmed by the Sultan, is required to mention the name of the Patriarch of Constantinople (signifying a certain degree of dependence). The Patriarch of Constantinople delays significantly the recognition of the firman.
February–May 1871: The First Council of Clergy and Laity meets in Constantinople. It brings together bishops, clergymen and lay representatives and reflects the modern Bulgarian vision of church governance, combining episcopal authority with significant lay participation.
May 14, 1871: The Statute of the Bulgarian Exarchate is adopted.
January 6, 1872: Bulgarian Bishops Hilarion of Makariopolis, Hilarion of Lovech and Panaret of Plovdiv celebrate the Feast of Epiphany independently at the Bulgarian Church of St. Stephen in Istanbul, without mentioning the Ecumenical Patriarch. This liturgical act is widely interpreted as an open challenge to patriarchal authority. The three metropolitans are exiled, and the Bulgarian church in Istanbul is closed. Under pressure of popular discontent, the decision on the exile is reversed.
February 12, 1872: Metropolitan Hilarion of Lovech is elected Bulgarian Exarch but the Ottoman authorities disapprove and he declines the election, citing his advanced age.
February 16, 1872: Metropolitan Antim of Vidin is elected the first Bulgarian Exarch. He becomes a symbol of Bulgarian ecclesiastical and national aspirations.
May 11, 1872: During the Easter liturgy in Constantinople, the Bulgarian Church formally proclaims its independence by omitting the Ecumenical Patriarch’s name in prayers.
September 16, 1872: A council convened by the Ecumenical Patriarchate declares the Bulgarian Church schismatic, severing canonical relations. This schism will last for 73 years.
1876: The rising Bulgarian revolutionary movement does not facilitate the work of Exarch Antim, but he does not oppose it. He collects accounts of the suppression of the April Uprising and informs the ambassadors of the Great Powers.
April 12, 1877: During the Russo-Turkish War, Exarch Antim openly supports the Bulgarian cause. The Ottoman authorities depose him and exile him to Asia Minor. He is released in March 1878 and is reinstated as Metropolitan of Vidin, a dignity which he keeps to his death on December 1, 1888.
April 22, 1877: Exarch Joseph I is elected. He adopts a more diplomatic approach, aiming to preserve Bulgarian church interests within the Ottoman Empire.
1878: Following the liberation of Bulgaria from Ottoman rule, the Exarchate becomes a key institution supporting Bulgarian communities outside the borders of the new State, particularly in Macedonia and Thrace.
1878–1880: Exarch Joseph temporarily relocates to Plovdiv (on Russia’s demands), leaving a representative in Constantinople, while debates arise in Bulgaria over whether the permanent seat of the Bulgarian Exarch should be in Constantinople or Sofia to help lift the schism. Under pressure from church and national leaders, Joseph and the Synod take measures to maintain the Exarchate’s seat in Constantinople.
October 30, 1878: Exarch Joseph returns briefly to Constantinople.
1883: The Ottoman government attempts to annul the firman and vacate the Bulgarian Exarchate’s authority in Turkey but reverses its decision under pressure from the Bulgarian Government and Eastern Rumelia.
December 17, 1883: Sultan Abdul Hamid receives Exarch Joseph in an audience and insists that the Bulgarian people be informed that it is his will that the Exarchate remain in Constantinople as a common spiritual centre for all Bulgarians.
1912–1913: The Balkan Wars severely affect the Exarchate. Bulgarian eparchies in the Ottoman territories are dismantled, church buildings are confiscated, and clergy is expelled.
Late 1913: The effective seat of the Exarchate moves to Sofia, reflecting the new political realities.
1915: Exarch Joseph dies, but new exarch is not elected.
1915–1945: The Bulgarian Church is governed by a Holy Synod.
January 21, 1945: Metropolitan Stefan of Sofia is elected Exarch as a new geopolitical order sets in after World War II.
February–March 1945: Concelebrated liturgies by Bulgarian and Greek clergy symbolize reconciliation.
March 14, 1945: The Ecumenical Patriarchate officially lifts the schism and recognizes the autocephaly of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, restoring full communion.
October–November 1945: Exarch Stefan makes an official visit to Istanbul, sealing reconciliation at the highest ecclesiastical level. The Exarch arrives on October 24 by train, with a delegation including Metropolitan Boris of Nevrokop and senior clergy. They are welcomed by Patriarchate officials and stay at the former Exarchate building in Sisli. The next day, the delegation is received at the Ecumenical Patriarchate with a solemn ceremony at the Church of St. George, including a joint prayer service presided over by Exarch Stefan. Patriarch Benjamin, due to his frail health, does not attend. Stefan reads a message of gratitude from the Bulgarian Church for the reunion of the two Orthodox churches and presents gifts. An official luncheon follows, and Stefan celebrates divine liturgies during his stay. On October 28, Stefan celebrates a service at the Bulgarian Church of St. Stephen with hierarchs from both churches, delivers a speech on the historic unification, and conducts memorial prayers for deceased Bulgarian hierarchs. A luncheon follows, where he toasts Patriarch Benjamin’s health and church unity. On November 1, he attends a service for St. John of Rila at the Sisli chapel, and on November 4, a solemn service at St. George’s Cathedral in Phanar with Greek and Bulgarian hierarchs. Exarch Stefan returns to Sofia on November 7, 1945.
September 8, 1948: Exarch Stefan retires from active work “at his own request” and is exiled by the communist authorities to the village of Banya (South Central Bulgaria), where he lives until his death on May 14, 1957.
1950: A new Statute elevates the Bulgarian Church to the dignity of Patriarchate. The Statute is endorsed by the State authorities.
May 8-10, 1953: Third Council of Clergy and Laity is held. Metropolitan Cyril of Plovdiv is elected Bulgarian Patriarch. His election is initially contested by the Patriarchate of Constantinople together with the Patriarchates of Alexandria and Jerusalem, the Greek Orthodox Church, and the Cypriot Orthodox Church.
1953–1961: Diplomatic and ecclesiastical efforts continue to secure universal recognition.
July 27, 1961: The Ecumenical Patriarchate formally recognizes the Bulgarian Patriarchate, completing the canonical process.
March 17–22, 1962: Patriarch Cyril visits Constantinople at the invitation of Patriarch Athenagoras. He arrives in Istanbul, accompanied by Metropolitan Paisiy of Vratsa, Metropolitan Pimen of Nevrokop, and others. They are welcomed by representatives of the Patriarchate of Constantinople and local Bulgarian clergy, along with officials and journalists. On March 18, a divine liturgy is concelebrated at the Patriarchal Cathedral of St. George. Patriarch Athenagoras hosts an official luncheon attended by church leaders, diplomats, and Bulgarian representatives. On March 19, the Bulgarian Patriarch calls on the city governor and tours the Hagia Sophia (now a mosque). Patriarch Athenagoras confers with the guest at the Pera Palace Hotel. Discussions focus on strengthening relations between Orthodox churches, continuing the work of the Pan-Orthodox Conference of Rhodes (1961), supporting the World Council of Churches’ Third Assembly (1961, New Delhi), and praying for world peace. On March 20, the guests tour the Halki Theological School, founded in 1844, which is historically linked to Bulgarian church leaders. On March 21, the delegation visits the Bulgarian community in Istanbul, including the Sts. Cyril and Methodius School and the Bulgarian hospital in Sisli. Patriarch Athenagoras and Bulgarian representatives attend receptions, alongside local officials, clergy, and cultural figures. Patriarch Cyril presides over a divine service at the Bulgarian Iron Church of St. Stephen on the Golden Horn. On March 22, the delegation departs for further pilgrimage to the Holy Land and the Middle East.
March 7, 1971: Patriarch Cyril dies.
1971: Metropolitan Maxim of Lovech is elected Bulgarian Patriarch, and will lead the Church for over four decades.
May 2–16, 1973: Bulgarian Patriarch Maxim calls on Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios in Istanbul, accompanied by Metropolitan Pankratiy of Stara Zagora, Metropolitan Filaret of Vidin, Archimandrite Dometian (Chief Secretary of the Holy Synod), and others. The delegation is warmly received at the airport by senior clergy of the Patriarchate of Constantinople and representatives of the Bulgarian church community in Istanbul. The trip includes meetings with Patriarch Dimitrios, a formal call on the Governor of Istanbul, and participation in services at key churches: the Patriarchal Cathedral, St. Stephen’s Church in Phanar, the Halki Monastery of the Holy Trinity, the Balikli Church of the Holy Virgin, and other historic sites. The visit aims to strengthen ties between the Bulgarian Patriarchate and the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. Afterward, Patriarch Maxim travels to Egypt at the invitation of Patriarch Nicholas II of Alexandria.
May 18–25, 1981: Patriarch Maxim pays a second visit to Istanbul with Metropolitan Pankratiy, Bishop Joseph of Velika, Archimandrite Neophyte, and Protodeacon Dr. Vasil Velyanov. On May 23, an vespers service is held at the St. John of Rila Church in the Exarchate courtyard. On May 24 (Sts. Cyril and Methodius Day), a liturgy takes place at the St. Stephen’s Church, celebrating Bulgarian literacy, culture, and the 1300th anniversary of the Bulgarian State. Patriarch Maxim addresses the Bulgarian community, officials, and diplomats. The delegation confers again with Patriarch Dimitrios to discuss cooperation between the two patriarchates and broader Orthodox issues. Bulgarian Consul General Argir Konstantinov hosts a reception for Patriarch Maxim, attended by Turkish officials, foreign consuls, Patriarch Dimitrios, the Grand Mufti, other religious leaders, and members of the Bulgarian community.
December 25-27, 2000: Patriarch Maxim participates in millennium celebrations organized by Patriarch Bartholomew in Istanbul. A festal divine liturgy is celebrated at the Patriarchal Church of St. George in Phanar, attended by Patriarch Maxim along with all other Orthodox primates. All heads of autocephalous Orthodox churches visit Iznik (ancient Nicaea), the site of the First Ecumenical Council (AD 325), and celebrate a liturgy there. The next day, Patriarch Maxim participates in the patronal feast of the Bulgarian Iron Church St. Stephen.
November 6, 2012: Death of Patriarch Maxim.
February 24, 2013: Metropolitan Neophyte of Ruse is elected Bulgarian Patriarch.
September 20–23, 2013: Patriarch Neophyte pays an official visit to the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul, meeting with Patriarch Bartholomew. Discussions focus on Pan-Orthodox unity, preparations for the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church (held in 2016 but boycotted by the Bulgarian Church and three others), and the fraternal relations between the Bulgarian and Ecumenical Patriarchates. Patriarchs Neophyte and Bartholomew concelebrate a divine liturgy at the Patriarchal Church of St. George. Patriarch Neophyte also visits the Bulgarian Exarchate building, meets the Bulgarian Orthodox community, and tours the Halki Theological School on the Princes’ Islands. The Bulgarian delegation includes senior hierarchs and clergy and is warmly received with a prayer service and formal audience in the Throne Hall. Patriarch Bartholomew emphasizes the continued brotherly cooperation and Orthodox unity between the two churches.
March 13, 2024: Death of Patriarch Neophyte.
June 30, 2024: Metropolitan Daniil of Vidin is elected Bulgarian Patriarch.
December 25-27, 2025: Patriarch Daniil is paying his first official visit to the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul. From Bulgarian Exarchate to Patriarchate: Historical Timeline and Context for Visits to Ecumenical Patriarchate 2025 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2025-12-25 07:51:00 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law
