Orthodox Church Bulgaria

Since 856 AD Bulgaria has been a Christian Orthodox country and the Orthodox Church Bulgaria is an emphatic representation of the Christianity in Bulgaria. The origin of the church lies in the beginning of the Christian era in Bulgaria when churches were being built in the Balkan Peninsula.

In the Middle Ages, the Orthodox Church Bulgaria adopted Bulgarian language as its official language. The religious edifices in Bulgaria became important educational and cultural centers. The Bulgarian Orthodox Church also played a significant role in the political affairs of the country. The status of the Orthodox Church in Bulgaria was taken up to the rank of Patriarchate. With time the authority and spiritual maturity of the church grew.

The Orthodox Church of Bulgaria played a principal role in the liberation movements during the 16th and 17th centuries. Some of the major figures related to the Orthodox Church include St.Georg of Kratovo, Bishop Vissarion of Smolen, St. Nikolay of Sofia, St. John the Bulgarian, Archbishop athanassy of Orhid etc.

The church has a vast domain under its control and the administrative, judicial and clerical powers are exercised by the Holy Synod. Theological schools, parishes, monasteries, orthodox churches etc all fall under the Orthodox Church of Bulgaria. There are about 120 monasteries and a large number of parishes.