REMEMBRANCE IN TIME - Index of

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Remembrance in Time
Orthodox Church and the state power in Bulgaria finds expression in ideologically
modeled articles (sometimes whole collections like Orthodoxy in Bulgaria. Theoretical
and Historical Enlightenment. Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. S., 1974), subject entirely
to the social and political situation of that time [1]. But here, like in any other
periodization, one can find exceptions. Thus, for instance, some of the authors who have
worked on the topic about the relations between church and state until 1944 continue to
publish though more rarely and more difficult after this date. Here belong the publications
of I. Snegarov. M. Arnaudov, St. Tsankov, G. Pashev which are characterized by the
typical for the period between the wars comparatively balanced approach to the relations
between the Bulgarian Orthodox Church and the state [2]. On the other hand, even after
the “Big Change” in the end of 1989 many historians and other authors remained loyal to
the philosophical and methodological ideas from the period till November 10 and
continued to develop the world historiographic tradition of disparaging attitude towards
the Bulgarian Orthodox Church in the Principality of Bulgaria, and its connections with
the state are examined through the eyes of the then politicians. This is obvious in the
contents of the last two volumes of the Bulgarian academic history for the period 1878-
1912 where “the best achievements” of the Bulgarian historical science are reflected [3].
An original historiographic phenomenon during the examined period is the production
of Patriarch Cyril which, though not always dealing with the relations between the
Bulgarian Orthodox Church and the state in 1878-1912, strikes with respect because of its
volume and the variety of themes [4]. At the same time even the clergy cannot or do not
want to go out of what is permitted by the regime and by reiterating the political
expedient suggestions on the topic with church phraseology, contribute to “sealing” these
scientific problems. Thus they become part of the common trend of elementary and
partial presentation of the real problems of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church in the period
1878-1912 and of the actual parameters of its relations with the state power [5].
The scientific and spiritual feebleness of the research from that time is clearly expressed
in connection with the interpretation of the problem of schism. Although after the last
publications of I. Snegarov and St. Tsankov from the late 40s and the early 50s this topic
has not been discussed, usually authoritative authors have published evaluations and
opinions of the meaning of schism and its consequences. In the 20 th c. the first Bulgarian
patriarch Cyril unequivocally and explicitly presents not the ecclesiastical but the secular,
the national-political (apparently failed in 1945) conception of schism in the following
way: „If we can talk about removing the schism between the Church in the Principality
and the Tsarigrad Patriarchate, it would have remained later for the Bulgarian Church in
Macedonia. As we have already said somewhere else, schism has extremely imposed
itself due to the unwillingness of the Tsarigrad Patriarchate to cede the Macedonian
eparchies to the Bulgarian exarchate. Article 10 of the sultan’s decree, which gave the
Macedonian eparchies the possibility to determine themselves in accordance with the will
of two thirds of the population for the Patriarchate or the Exarchate, was the only reason
for declaring the schism. Could it be assumed that Bulgarian eparchies in Macedonia
would give up article 10 of the Decree and would pass under the jurisdiction of the
Patriarchate? This could not be even thought about and it would actually mean that
Exarchate in Macedonia should be eliminated. And on the other hand assuming that the
Orthodox people in Bulgaria should agree with removing the schism with such a great
sacrifice as abandoning the Macedonian eparchies, is totally hopeless. It is amazing how
some otherwise well-intentioned representatives of the church could reach another