Moscow, October 5, 2023
Patriarchs Neofit (left) and Kirill (right) serving together in Moscow in 2014. Photo: Russian Orthodox Church (YouTube)
The Russian representation Church in Sofia, dedicated to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, was closed on September 21 when its rector, Archimandrite Vassian (Zmeev), secretary, and another employee were expelled from Bulgaria as threats to national security.
A few days later, His Holiness Patriarch Neofit of Bulgaria appointed Bulgarian priests to serve there and informed His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia of this decision by letter. On Tuesday, the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Church expressed its full support for Pat. Neofit’s decision and letter to Pat. Kirill.
In his reply, the Russian primate “noted the unprecedented decision of the Bulgarian authorities in recent history and expressed deep regret over the use of humiliating and discriminatory measures against the clergy with the obvious purpose of damaging friendly relations between fraternal peoples and Sister Churches,” reports the Russian Orthodox Church.
The report continues:
His Holiness the Patriarch characterized the actions of the Bulgarian state bodies as an unfriendly and unfair act against the representation of the Russian Orthodox Church, while emphasizing the continued readiness of the Moscow Patriarchate to continue to assist the representative of the Patriarch of Bulgaria at the Moscow Patriarchal See in serving for the benefit of the two Churches and assuring of continued support for the activities of the Bulgarian Church representation in Moscow.
Sharing the concern of His Holiness Patriarch Neofit about the temporary suspension of Divine services and the closure of the St. Nicholas Church, expressing sympathy to the parishioners and pious residents of Sofia who are grieving over the inability to visit and pray at the tomb of St. Seraphim, Archbishop of Boguchar, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill pointed out that full responsibility for the suspension of the activities of the representation church lies with those who made the decision to deport its rector and employees.
The primate of the Russian Orthodox Church informed His Holiness the Patriarch of Bulgaria and Metropolitan of Sofia that the Holy Synod of the Moscow Patriarchate will appoint a new rector in the near future, so that the doors of the Russian representation church will be opened as soon as possible. The letter also contains a request to assist the clergyman in the upcoming arrangement in Sofia.
Concluding his message, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia expressed confidence that the political forces behind which stands the enemy of the human race will not succeed in destroying the age-old bonds of love and brotherhood in Christ that underlie the cooperation between the Russian and Bulgarian Orthodox Churches.
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