The scandals surrounding the elections for the future metropolitan of Sliven reached the Municipal Council – Burgas. We remind you that at its regular meeting, the Holy Synod determined a list of bishops, candidates for the metropolitan election in the Sliven Diocese.
However, not among them is the Agathopol bishop Hierotheus, who is the favorite for the post on the part of the Burgas clergy.
Georgi Drakaliev from the GERB group asked the municipal councilors to adopt a declaration to express their disagreement with the decision of the Holy Synod.
“We all know that a few years before the death of Metropolitan Ioanniki of Sliven, his functions in the diocese were performed by his vicar, Bishop Hierotheus of Agathopol. After the death of Ioannicus, an election was held and Hierotheus was unanimously elected by the priests and laity as his deputy. This election was canceled by the Holy Synod without any announced reasons, which left the public with the opinion that it was about some personal interests and accounts. Yesterday, the scandalous decision of the Holy Synod came out, in which 6 candidates for Metropolitan of Sliven are determined, among whom is not Hierotei, although he is the only one wanted here. Moreover, the candidates are from the most remote places in the country and have no idea of the problems and needs in the local diocese. I express my personal indignation at this act of the Holy Synod and, if necessary, the Municipal Council should adopt a declaration on the subject. It is not possible to use behind-the-scenes accounts and calculations to decide who will be the Metropolitan of Sliven and thus someone will have support for the Patriarch”. said Drakaliev.
He was immediately answered by Vladimir Pavlov, who stated that it should be clear to everyone that the Bulgarian Orthodox Church is an independent body and that the intervention of political bodies and municipal councils is contrary to moral understandings, but also ignorance of the facts.
“You belittle a decision of the Holy Synod and publicly make declarations here without knowing the facts. I know them, and it concerns homelessness, which will be announced with documents very soon. If all the “elders” in the Holy Synod have decided to cancel the election, then there is a reason. Let us not interfere in the affairs of the church.” Pavlov turned to Drakaliev.
Hristina Hadjiatanasova from Continuing the change – Democratic Bulgaria shared that it is still necessary for the Municipal Council to come out with a declaration and to consider whether an extraordinary session should be held on the subject.
Georgi Manev addressed his colleagues from GERB and PP-DB with the words:
“You fixed the state in the last 10 months, so now you have taken up the church. What declaration can the City Council accept? The church should be fixed and it has nothing to do with the Municipal Council. It is not known what underwater stone there is.’
Drakaliev’s answer was not long in coming:
“Municipal councilors are elected by the citizens of Burgas and they can take a stand on absolutely all cases that affect their existence. I remind you that during the Ottoman slavery, the Bulgarian municipalities built their own churches and collected money to pay the priests. Bishops from distant dioceses should not make decisions for local lay people”he said.
#dispute #election #metropolitan #Sliven #entered #ObSBurgas
