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The election of the new Bulgarian Patriarch has begun

| updated on 6/30/24 11:12 AM

The delegates of the fourth Patriarchal Electoral Church Council are already voting for new Bulgarian Patriarch. He will be elected with a two-thirds majority of their votes from among three candidates: Metropolitan Gregory of Vratsa, Metropolitan Daniil of Vidin, and Metropolitan Gavriil of Lovech.

The Council began with a Sunday liturgy at the Synodal Chapel, after which Metropolitan Gregory of Vratsa, who is also temporary head of the Holy Synod, led the participants to the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences for the official opening. ''Vote according to your conscience thinking about the Orthodox people and its spiritual enlightenment'', said Metropolitan Gregory of Vratsa.

The name of the new Patriarch is expected to be announced at 2.30 pm. Later, the enthronement of the new head of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church will take place at the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in the presence of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and representatives of local Orthodox churches. President Rumen Radev and Vice President Iliana Iotova will also attend the ceremony.

At 6:00 pm, Bulgaria’s Head of State and the new Bulgarian Patriarch will participate in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Monument to the Unknown Soldier.

After the first round of voting, it has become clear that Metropolitans Gregory and Daniil will proceed to a runoff. Sixty-four delegates voted for Metropolitan Gregory of Vratsa, fifty-one for Metropolitan Daniil of Vidin, and nineteen for Metropolitan Gavriil of Lovech.




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