Sofia, October 23, 2025
Bulgarian Orthodox textbooks produced by the Synod. Photo: bg-patriarshia.bg
The Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church has welcomed with “spiritual joy and satisfaction” Parliament’s progress toward introducing compulsory religious education in Bulgarian schools.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the Synod expressed its approval of the National Assembly’s first-reading adoption of amendments to the Pre-school and School Education Act, which would introduce a new school subject titled Virtues and Religion. The changes, proposed by the Council of Ministers, were passed on October 8 with 169 votes in favor, 3 against, and 28 abstentions.
In the Bulgarian system, a bill must pass two readings, after which it’s sent to the President to be signed into law or returned to the National Assembly for reconsideration.
The proposed subject, according to the Ministry of Education and Science, is intended to foster “a sustainable moral culture, moral judgment, and understanding of different points of view.” It would be studied as an elective module under the broader compulsory framework, with options including Religion – Orthodox Christianity, Religion – Islam, or Virtues/Ethics. No grades would be assigned for the subject, and participation would not be compulsory for children or families who object to religious instruction, reports bta.bg.
“The Holy Church has always strived for the education and Christian upbringing of young people and all our beloved brothers and sisters in Christ,” the Synodal statement reads, adding that the Church prays for the successful completion of the legislative process.
The Bulgarian Orthodox Church has been advocating for the introduction of compulsory religious education for more than three decades, since the fall of communism in 1989. Religious education has been offered as an elective subject for many years, but Church leaders and supporters have continued to call for its integration into the core curriculum. According to recent reports, more than 80% of Bulgarians support the initiative, though there have also been protests and public debates regarding the role of religion in public education.
Between 2020 and 2023, the Holy Synod produced a full set of new textbooks on Religion – Christianity – Orthodoxy for grades 1 through 12, which were approved by the Ministry of Education.
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Read the full Synodal statement:
The Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church-Bulgarian Patriarchate, with particular spiritual joy and satisfaction, welcomes the significant progress in realizing a long-awaited and much-desired event for our Orthodox people – the introduction of the subject Religion – Orthodox Christianity as compulsory within the Bulgarian secondary education system.
We commend the wisdom and responsibility shown in the first-reading vote by the National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria on amendments to the Pre-school and School Education Act, which will allow all children and young people in our beloved homeland to encounter the treasury of holy Orthodoxy, to become acquainted with the truths of the holy Orthodox faith, and to be nurtured in the eternal Christian virtues.
In this way, a tradition of education and upbringing—interrupted during the atheistic regime but rooted in our ancestors from ancient times through the National Revival to the present day—will be restored.
We hope and pray before Almighty God that this process will be successfully completed. The holy Church has made, and will continue to make—according to its strength—every effort toward the education and Christian upbringing of young people and all our beloved brothers and sisters in Christ.
May God’s blessing and His great mercy be upon all who participate in, assist, and support this God-pleasing work!
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