The Bulgarian Orthodox Church and the Union of the Principality of Bulgaria and East Rumelia (1885–1886)

Българската православна църква и Съединението на Княжество България и Източна Румелия (1885–1886)

Известия на Института за исторически изследвания, том 41, 2025, с. 40‒60.
Proceedings of Institute for Historical Studies, Vol. 41, 2025, p. 40‒60.
ISSN: 2367-5187 (print), 2815-2913 (online)
DOI: https://doi.org/10.71069/III41.25.PP04

Petko St. Petkov / Петко Ст. Петков

University of Veliko Tarnovo “St. Cyril and St. Methodius” / Великотърновски университет „Св. св. Кирил и Методий“
ORCID ID: 0000-0001-7424-3396

Summary: The article examines the attitude of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church towards the announcement and especially towards the diplomatic and military protection of the Union of the Principality of Bulgaria and Eastern Rumelia in 1885. The activity of several leading Orthodox clergy is followed: Exarch Joseph, who is chairman of the supreme spiritual authority of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church ‒ the Holy Synod ‒ and resides in the capital of the Ottoman Empire, Metropolitan Kliment Tarnovski ‒ deputy of the exarch in Sofia, head of one of the important diplomatic missions for the protection of the Union under the Russian emperor in Copenhagen and first chairman of the Bulgarian Red Cross, as well as the attitude of Metropolitan Simeon of Varna-Preslav.

Keywords: Union of the Principality of Bulgaria and Eastern Rumelia, Bulgarian Orthodox Church, mission in Copenhagen, Bulgarian Red Cross

The fulltext of this article can be purchased on CEEOL: https://www.ceeol.com/search/journal-detail?id=2000.