Patriarch Bartholomew called the See of Constantinople the guarantor of Orthodox unity

During an official visit to Bulgaria, Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople addressed the hierarchs of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, emphasizing the special role of the See he heads in the life of global Orthodoxy. The head of the Phanar described the Archbishop of Constantinople as the visible link and guarantor of the unity of the Church. This was reported by the in Bulgaria.

In his speech, delivered in the Synodal Chamber in Sofia, Patriarch Bartholomew noted that his visits to the Local Churches are aimed exclusively at strengthening unity and bearing witness to the indivisibility of the Church. The head of the Patriarchate of Constantinople described his institution as a “loving Mother,” whose mission is to restore order and peace during times of division. According to the patriarch, he is deeply concerned about preserving pan-Orthodox unity and strives to overcome current challenges without upheaval.

Special attention was given to the meeting with Patriarch Daniel of Bulgaria. Bartholomew thanked him for his efforts to preserve ecclesiastical unity during a difficult period for the Orthodox world. The head of the Phanar emphasized that Constantinople remains faithful to the patristic traditions and has never strayed from the foundations handed down by its predecessors. In concluding his remarks, he quoted a historic document from 1902, reminding the audience that every autocephalous Church attains its fullness only in communion with others, otherwise risking “withered away, like a branch that has fallen from the vine.”

It should be recalled that earlier, during the Divine Liturgy at the Rylsk Monastery on October 19, 2026, a high-profile incident occurred: the believers present in the church responded with cries of “Anathema!” when the head of the OCU, Epiphany Dumenko, was commemorated by Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople.