The Bulgarian Church Advocates for the Revival of Spiritual Education in Schools

On April 24, 2025, a large-scale public discussion took place in Sofia regarding the potential introduction of a new subject titled «Virtues and Religion» into the national school curriculum. The event, held at the National Palace of Culture, brought together government officials, teachers, parents, scholars, and religious leaders — among them, Bulgarian Patriarch Daniil and Grand Mufti Mustafa Hadzhi. The discussion was reported by the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA).

The Patriarch of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church declared that it was time to return religious education to the country’s educational system:

«The time has come for the Bulgarian state to restore religious education to its rightful place in Bulgarian schools.»

According to the Patriarch, the state has a moral obligation to support the spiritual upbringing of the younger generation in accordance with the principles of Orthodox Christianity, which historically forms the foundation of Bulgarian identity. At the same time, he emphasized the importance of respecting each family’s religious choices:

«It is necessary to take into account the right of parents of other faiths or non-religious beliefs to choose the appropriate form of education for their children.»

Minister of Education Krasimir Valchev affirmed his willingness to engage in broad dialogue and cooperation with the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. The new compulsory subject is expected to offer students a choice between studying Orthodoxy, Islam, other religions, or secular ethics. The Bulgarian Church has already expressed readiness to provide methodological support for curriculum development.

It is worth recalling that the Council of Europe has reviewed the case of the Bulgarian Old Calendar Church, which was denied registration by the authorities as an Orthodox Church. According to Council of Europe representatives, Bulgarian courts systematically issue unjustified refusals to register Orthodox communities due to similarities in name or doctrine with the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.