New Bulgarian Orthodox Bishop of Toledo Consecrated

Archimandrite Alexander (Golitzin) was consecrated Bishop of Toledo and the Bulgarians today by Metropolitan Jonah (Paffhausen) of Washington and all the serving hierarchs of the American Orthodox Church (with the exception of Bishop Alejo of Mexico City). Axios! The consecration service was well attended, with many clergy and faithful from the Bulgarian Orthodox Diocese of Toledo, the Midwest, and East and West Coasts of the United States in attendance. More here.

Bulgarian Orthodox Representation Church to be Built Near Bucharest

The Bulgarian Orthodox Church has acquired property near the Romanian capital in the city of Snagov for the construction of a church and cultural center for the members of the Bulgarian Diaspora in Bucharest. The process is underway to have the future church canonically established as a representation of the Sofia Patriarchate to the Romanian Orthodox Church. More (in Bulgarian) here.

Bulgaria Maintains Ties with Albania's Bulgarians

The Bulgarian government is seeking to strengthen ties with communities of Bulgarian Orthodox Christians and Muslims living in southeastern Albania. More here.

Constantinople's Bulgarians Celebrate Pascha

Thousands of Constantinople's Bulgarian residents celebrated the Lord's Pascha in the imperial city's Iron Church of St. Stephen. More here.

Interview with Metropolitan Gabriel of Lovech

A fascinating Bulgarian-language interview with Metropolitan Gabriel of Lovech of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church about the Bulgarian Diaspora in the Komi Republic of the Russian Federation can be found here. The Russian Orthodox Church recently asked the Church of Bulgaria to send a priest to Komi to care for the Bulgarians there and organize a Bulgarian-language school, the prospects for which Metropolitan Gabriel was investigating during his recent visit to Russia.

Meeting of the Bulgarian Orthodox Holy Synod

At its first session in the New Year the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church approved the ongoing visit of Metropolitan Gabriel of Lovech to Russia and also appointed Metropolitan Kirill of Varna as its representative at an upcoming planning meeting in Chambessy for a general council of the Local Orthodox Churches. More on those decisions here. The Holy Synod also approved a previous decision not to include Metropolitan Simeon (Dimitrov) of Berlin and Western Europe and Metropolitan Joseph of New York and the USA, Canada, and Australia in its rotating membership due to the logistical issues involved. More on that and other decisions here.