The embassy announced the deportation from Bulgaria of the rector of the Russian Orthodox Church in Sofia
[ad_1]
The Bulgarian authorities decided to expel the rector of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) in Sofia, Archimandrite Vassian (Zmeev), from the country. About it reports TASS with reference to the Russian Embassy in Bulgaria.
“[Болгарские власти] considered that Father Vassian poses a threat to national security,” explained the Russian diplomatic mission. The essence of the claims is not specified.
According to data on the website of the Russian Orthodox Church, Archimandrite Vassian was appointed rector of the Russian Orthodox Church in Sofia in March 2018. Before that, he served as the representative of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus’ in the Belarusian Exarchate. He was elevated to the rank of archimandrite in 2016.
In December 2022, protesters blocked Church of St. Nicholas in the capital of Bulgaria, in which the Russian ambassador to the republic Eleonora Mitrofanova and Metropolitan Anthony (Sevryuk) of Volokolamsk were present. The protesters shouted anti-Russian slogans and expressed dissatisfaction with the visit of the Metropolitan, who is the head of the Department of External Church Relations of the Russian Orthodox Church.
Protesters claimed that the service was dedicated to the victory of the Russian army in Ukraine, but this information was denied by the Russian embassy. They explained that Anthony took part in the celebrations marking the 70th anniversary of the metochion of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus’ in Sofia.
[ad_2]
Source link
