Plovdiv Metropolitan Accuses Bulgarian Politician of "Cave Nationalism"

The Bulgarian Orthodox Church's Metropolitan Nikolai of Plovdiv has accused the leader of Bulgarian ultranationalist party Ataka, Volen Siderov, of "cave nationalism" and protested his attempts "on two occasions to involve the Bulgarian Church in scandals." More here.

Politics Intrude on Paschal Celebrations in Sofia

The Paschal celebrations in the Bulgarian capital were somewhat marred this year by a disturbance in the patriarchal cathedral. The disturbance was caused by Volen Siderov, the leader of a Bulgarian opposition party, who questioned clergy giving the holy fire to President Georgi S. Parvanov (who as leader of the nation was the first layman to receive the fire) whether they served the 'atheist president' or God. More here.