Bulgarian Orthodox Church (BOC) confirmed the information of Doxologia Infonews that it recognizes the Serbian pseudo-tomos of Church in Republic of North Macedonia.
BOC proposes an insane and non-existent formula for mentioning the name of a “head” of a local church, which Archdiocese of Ohrid is not yet – “His Beatitude Stefan, Archbishop of North Macedonia”. It’s insane because the heads are mentioned by the name of the city-cathedra, not a country. This is a gross mistake and shows the lack of basic literacy in Canon Law in the Synod of Bulgarian Patriarchate.
Also, BOC will call Archdiocese of Ohrid by the temporary name: “Orthodox Church in Republic of North Macedonia”.
BOC continues to toe the Russian line, demanding an “Pan-Orthodox Council” to decide, instead of Mother Church of Constantinople-Ecumenical Patriarchate.
However, the name can only be decided by the providing of Tomos of autocephaly by Ecumenical Patriarchate.
Here is the full text of the communique:
“Decision of the Holy Synod of Bulgarian Orthodox Church regarding Macedonian Orthodox Church
At the meeting of the Holy Synod of BOC, held on 13.12.2022, letter No. 569/29.09.2022 of Patriarch Porfirije of Serbian was read, with which he informed that in implementation of a unanimous decision of the Holy Hierarchical Synod of Serbian Orthodox Church, during the Hierarchical Liturgy on June 5 this year was handed over Patriarchal and Synodal Tomos, provide autocephaly to Orthodox Church in Republic of North Macedonia, with a recommendation that the issue of the official name be resolved in a fraternal dialogue with the Greek-speaking and other local orthodox churches.
After voting
The Holy Synod unanimously DECIDED:
He accepts with spiritual joy the Tomos provide by Serbian Patriarchate to Church in Republic of North Macedonia. Until the adoption of a Pan-Orthodox decision on the issue of the name of Orthodox Church in Republic of North Macedonia:
The Holy Synod adds in the diptychs of BOC to mention the heads of the local orthodox churches, the mention of the Head of Church in Republic of North Macedonia, with the following wording: “His Beatitude Stefan, Archbishop of North Macedonia”.”
The communique was published on the Synod website on 16.12.2022, 15:26.
