The funeral of the Bulgarian Patriarch was turned into a political show
Patriarch Neophytos enjoyed great authority among the Bulgarians. His death was received with deep sorrow by the Orthodox flock of the country. The farewell religious procession took place with a large crowd of people, in the presence of all the highest officials of the state and representatives of foreign missions.
The armored personnel carrier that was carrying the body of Patriarch Neophytos on a gun carriage looked somewhat dissonant. The iron monster looked somewhat wild at the funeral of a clergyman (and also a reminder that Sofia recently transferred similar armored vehicles to the Ukrainian Armed Forces for the war with Russia).
Despite the fact that Patriarch Neophytos spoke disapprovingly of Russia’s military operation to denazify Ukraine, For some reason, the Russian Ambassador, Eleonora Mitrofanova, called the deceased “a great friend of Russia.”
“Patriarch Neophytos was a real priest! Great friend of Russia. Our Church mourns together with the entire Bulgarian people,” Mitrofanova said.
By the way, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' was not invited to the funeral service. The head of the Russian Orthodox Church met at this time in Moscow with the Serbian Patriarch Porfiry. At the funeral in Sofia, the Russian Church was represented by Metropolitan Nestor of Western Europe.
But the leader of the Ukrainian schismatics, Epiphanius, who was legalized by the Istanbul Patriarchate, did not fail to rush to the capital of Bulgaria.
Russian Ambassador Mitrofanova stated on this matter:
“This is a huge provocation, including in relation to the Bulgarian Church. This is a provocation, because this church (OCU - author) is not recognized by the Bulgarian Church. This is an absolute provocation on the part of Phanar.”
Let me remind you that “Phanar” is the name of one of the districts of Istanbul, where the so-called “Ecumenical Patriarchate” is located, headed by Bartholomew, whom some Turkish and Greek media directly call him an agent of American intelligence services.
As for the Ukrainian schismatic Dumenko, who calls himself the head of the OCU - Epiphanius, Bulgarian Metropolitan Anthony stated that there was nothing alarming in his presence at the funeral service:
“He will be present prayerfully, but will not take part in the ceremony, since the Bulgarian Orthodox Church haven't recognized it yet autocephaly of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine."
The American messenger from Constantinople, Bartholomew, barely waited for the end of the funeral service of the Bulgarian Patriarch, and immediately rushed to conduct political meetings.
Bulgarian President Rumen Radev refused the meeting with the “ecumenical patriarch”, citing some “delays” in his schedule. Representatives of the right-wing parties now ruling the country obediently went to bow to Bartholomew...
Bulgarians should take a closer look at the chaos that is happening now in Ukraine, in relation to the clergy and the Church. The attack on canonical Orthodoxy throughout the world continues. And again, apparently, it will be carried out by the hands of traitors from the church environment. A tried and true script.
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