Patriarch Daniel apologizes to head of Phanar for criticizing OCU creation

Bulgarian Patriarch Daniel gave a detailed commentary on his recent visit to Constantinople, revealing the details of his talks with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. The visit, which took place against the backdrop of the 155th anniversary of the founding of the Bulgarian Exarchate and a complex history of relations, was marked by both steps towards reconciliation and the preservation of the principled position of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church (BOC) on a number of issues, including the status of the OCU. He said this in an interview with the BNT TV channel.

As it became known from the interview with Patriarch Daniel, during a meeting with Patriarch Bartholomew in Thessaloniki, he put forward a condition for a visit to Constantinople: the absence of hierarchs or clergy of the OCU during joint services, since the BOC did not recognize this structure. Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople made the following promise.

«When a preliminary agreement was reached on a visit to Constantinople, during our meeting with Patriarch Bartholomew, which took place in Thessaloniki at the end of September, Patriarch Bartholomew renewed the invitation to visit. I said that such a visit could take place, but given the fact that the Bulgarian Orthodox Church did not recognize the Orthodox Church in Ukraine, we insist that during the visit and joint services there should be no hierarchs or clergy of this Church. Then Patriarch Bartholomew gave this promise,» said Patriarch Daniel.

Answering a question about his past criticism of Patriarch Bartholomew, Patriarch Daniel said that he had apologized to the head of Phanar personally for the form of his appeal in 2019, when he sent a letter to a number of Orthodox hierarchs without first addressing Patriarch Bartholomew directly. However, Patriarch Daniel emphasized that he still supports all the theses set forth in that letter regarding dogmatic, canonical and ecclesiological issues related to the OCU. He noted that, despite the disagreements, the dialogue remained constructive, and the issue of the OCU was mentioned only as an existing one, with an understanding of the BOC’s position.

«Yes, I did criticize Patriarch Bartholomew at the time. During our personal meeting, I apologized. I apologized for the letter I sent in 2019 to a number of hierarchs of the Orthodox Church. Almost all Orthodox churches. Because the gospel principle says: ‘If your brother sins against you, go and confess it between you and him alone. I told him: I’m sorry I didn’t address you personally first. I sent this letter to so many hierarchs. But then what can the Metropolitan of Vienna do? I believed and still believe that this issue is important. Of pan-Orthodox importance. He said that this issue was forgotten. But at the same time, I told him that I support all the theses set forth in my letter. Because it deals with dogmatic, canonical, ecclesiological issues. And, you know, despite this, we continued a normal conversation. Later, during a visit to Constantinople, this issue of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine was mentioned only as existing, but with an understanding of our opinion. And there was no question of our recognizing the OCU or expressing our opinion on this issue. And I think this is an important point, because none of us puts ourselves above the church. And we have an understanding that the church will give an answer and a decision on those issues on which we disagree. Although we have disagreements, each of us holds his or her own point of view, we remain aware that we have not escaped these problems. We remain hopeful that the time will come when the church will give a comprehensive answer to all these questions,» said the Primate of the Bulgarian Church.

During the visit, the Holy Synod of the BOC awarded Patriarch Bartholomew with the Order of St. John of Rila for his contribution to overcoming the schism in the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. Patriarch Daniel recalled the unique event of 1998, when, at the request of Patriarch Maxim, Bartholomew convened a Pan-Orthodox Council in Sofia, where the heads of local Orthodox churches gathered to resolve a vital issue for the BOC, which led to the restoration of unity.

Of particular importance was the service of Patriarch Daniel in the Iron Church (St. Stephen’s Church) in Constantinople, where the BOC Primate had not served since the beginning of the schism. Patriarch Daniel called it a «great blessing» and expressed his gratitude to Patriarch Bartholomew, emphasizing that it symbolizes continuity in the hierarchy of the BOC and closes the problems of the past, testifying to the normalization of communication.

An important point emphasized by Patriarch Daniel was the difference in the commemoration of hierarchs. On September 26, at a liturgy in St. George’s Church, Patriarch Bartholomew commemorated the head of the OCU, Epiphany Dumenko. However, the next day, during the liturgy at St. Stephen’s Church, led by the Bulgarian Patriarch, Epiphany was not commemorated. Instead, Archbishop Stefan of the Orthodox Church in North Macedonia was mentioned, whose autocephaly was recognized by the Bulgarian Orthodox Church despite the absence of a Tomos from the Patriarchate of Constantinople or a joint Orthodox decision. This circumstance raises the question of the independence of the BOC in its decisions and its focus on the interests of the Church as a whole.

«And something else very important. It was noted that on the 26th of the liturgy in the Church of St. George, Patriarch Bartholomew mentioned Metropolitan Epifaniy as one of the primates of local churches, to whom he granted the Tomos of autocephaly. But the next day in the Church of St. Stephen, where the Bulgarian Patriarch led the Holy Liturgy, we did not even remember him, but instead remembered Archbishop Stephen of the Orthodox Church in North Macedonia. The Bulgarian Orthodox Church is the only one that has recognized this autocephalous status of the Macedonian Orthodox Church. And no one raised the question: if there is no tomos of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, why mention Archbishop Stephen if there is still no common Orthodox decision on this issue? And here some may wonder whether the BOC depends on anything and what it depends on, what it is guided by when making decisions: from some power centers or from what is useful for our Church, for the Orthodox Church as a whole and for the salvation of the shepherd entrusted to us,» he added.

Earlier, we reported that the Primate of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church (BOC), Patriarch Daniel, spoke on a number of topical issues related to the unity of Orthodox and Catholics and relations with the Patriarchate of Constantinople. Patriarch Daniel paid special attention to the issue of recognizing the Ukrainian schism. The head of the BOC is convinced that the recognition of the OCU by the Patriarchate of Constantinople is not a reason to break relations with Phanar.