Religion in Bulgaria. Bulgarian Orthodox Church. Armenian Apostolic Church. Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky in Sofia. What is the faith, religion and rituals in Bulgaria? What is the religion in Bulgaria

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On the territory of modern Bulgaria there are many historical sites that are closely related to religion. First of all, these are ancient Thracian sanctuaries and tombs - dolmens, which date back to the 2nd-1st millennia BC. They are located near the villages of Sveshtari and Mezek, as well as near the cities of Kazanlak and Strelcha.

At the end of the first millennium AD, when the need arose to strengthen the Bulgarian state, it was officially adopted by Christianity. At the same time, the first Christian churches built like basilicas began to appear in the country. Religion helped the Proto-Bulgarians, Thracians and Slavs who inhabited Bulgaria to unite and eliminate existing interethnic differences.

Christianity was adopted by the Bulgarians in 864

At first, Bulgarian Prince Boris I wanted to join his state to the Catholic Church. But Byzantium began military operations against the Bulgarian kingdom and forced the prince to be baptized by its Orthodox emperor.

Eastern Christian Orthodoxy remains the official religion of the country to this day. Its characteristic features are the presence of church art and common liturgies. In addition, there is continuity of the apostolic faith, and the church is headed by a patriarch.

Various peoples who inhabited Bulgaria at different times also made their contributions to it. For example, Islam became most widespread during the rule of the Ottoman Empire. Many pagan buildings were then converted into mosques. The largest Muslim complex, Tombul Jamia, built in 1774, is located in the city of Shumen. It includes a mosque with a madrasah, a cemetery, a library and a pavilion with mineral springs.

What religions are there in Bulgaria, besides Christian

In Plovdiv, pilgrims are interested in the Imaret and Dzhumaya mosques, in Sofia - the Banya Bashi and Buyuk mosques, in Razgrad - the Ahmed Bey and Ibrahim Pasha mosques, as well as the Bayrakli mosque in Samokov. It should be said that some places of worship are revered by Muslims and Christians at the same time. During religious times, representatives of these two communities visit the Demir Baba monastery, as well as the remains of the destroyed village of Obrochishte, near Varna.

Catholicism also appeared during Turkish rule, when traders and miners from Western countries came to Bulgaria. Today there are Catholic churches in Sofia, Plovdiv and some other localities.

In addition, there are synagogues, evangelical, Romanian, Russian and Armenian churches in the country. And in some areas of Bulgaria even Dunovism is widespread.

Good afternoon friends!

Today I will tell you about which religion in Bulgaria ranks first in terms of the number of followers. We’ll also talk about how and when other faiths entered the country.

I want to immediately make you happy - all religions coexist peacefully here. Everyone is welcome here, regardless of religion.

From this article you will learn:

World religions coexist peacefully side by side

Today Christianity predominates in Bulgaria - about 80% of citizens. Most of them are Orthodox, the second place is Protestants (1.12%), and Catholicism is only 0.8%. Also, let's not forget about Armenian apostolism (0.03%). The remaining 20% ​​of Bulgarians profess Islam (10%), Judaism (0.012%), and other world religions.

I have a whole section about Bulgaria and moving to this country. If you are interested, read it.

Orthodoxy

And yet, Christianity has been the main religion for many centuries. Christianity came here by the 1st century AD. e. As the story goes, the founder of the religious movement was Amplius, a disciple of the Apostle Paul. He founded the first episcopal see in Varna.

Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky, Sofia

Islam

Islam entered the territory of the state along with the Turkish conquerors. Residents were almost forced to convert to Islam. Since the Middle Ages (XIV century), the majority of Bulgarian Islamists have been ethnic Turks. But Islam is also professed by ethnic Bulgarians - Pomaks.

Pomaki, 1932

Catholicism

The third largest religion is Catholicism, which belongs to the Roman Catholic branch. Although, the Greek Catholic movement was the first to come here. Catholicism appears by the 14th century. Traders, miners, and travelers from Europe brought their faith, which over time took root. To admire the Cathedral of St. Ludwig, visit the city of Plovdiv.

Judaism

The Jews have lived in this territory for a very long time, about 2000 years. They came here during persecution by the Catholic kings of Spain. All major cities have synagogues. The community is small, but Judaism is one of the main religions of the country.

State and Church

A constitutional republic allows freedom of choice of faith for its citizens. This right for them is enshrined in the Constitution of Bulgaria. There are very rare cases of disputes and conflicts based on faith. Although, only 14% of all residents of the country consider themselves true believers.

Read about the development of Bulgaria and in my next articles.

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Bulgaria- secular state. Like all constitutional republics, it provides freedom of religion, which is enshrined in the country's Constitution. Religious institutions and institutions here are separated from the state. There are different religions and denominations represented in the country. About 80% of the country's population considers themselves believers, although only 13.6% of them regularly attend services.

The largest denomination is Christians - 85% of the total population. The main religion of the country, according to tradition, since the 9th century. Eastern Orthodox Christianity is officially considered. It is professed by 82.6% of Bulgarians. 0.6% of the population (44,000 people) profess Catholicism and 1.12% Protestantism (Greek Catholics and Protestants). There are adherents of the Armenian Gregorian Orthodox Church, followers of various Christian sects: Pentecostals, Methodists, Baptists, Adventists, etc.

The second most influential and number of adherents religion in Bulgaria is Islam. Almost 13% of the country's believers (about 1 million people) are Muslims.

A small number of representatives of Judaism also live in Bulgaria.

There are also Russian, Romanian and Evangelical churches in the country.

On the territory of modern Bulgaria there are many historical pagan religious sites: ancient Thracian sanctuaries and tombs - dolmens, dating back to the 2nd-1st millennia BC. They are located near the villages of Sveshtari and Mezek, as well as the cities of Strelcha and Kazanlak.

Orthodoxy

Christianity came to Bulgaria in the 1st century AD. e. According to legend, Amplius, a disciple of the Apostle Paul, founded the first episcopal see in the city of Odessa (present-day Varna). According to Eusebius of Caesarea, in the 2nd century, episcopal sees already existed in the Bulgarian cities of Debelt and Anchial. Bishop of Sardiki (present-day Sofia) Protogonus was a participant in the First Ecumenical Council in 325.

In the middle of the 9th century, in 865, the king of Bulgaria, Holy Prince Boris I, was the first to accept Christianity. He was baptized by a Greek missionary. Following this event, a mass baptism of the Bulgarian people took place. Smart and cautious Boris understood that Christianity would help him unite the people of Bulgaria, strengthen the Bulgarian state, his power and influence. In addition, by the end of the first millennium, political, economic and social conditions had developed for the rapid spread of Christianity. The people accept Orthodoxy, it becomes part of their culture and life. In the next decade, the Bulgarian Christian Church becomes autocephalous (independent) under the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Constantinople. Since then, Orthodoxy has lost its independence several times. Since 1953, it again became autocephalous, i.e. manages her inner life herself, and occupies 6th place in the diptych (list of churches mentioned during solemn liturgies). The Bulgarian Orthodox Church is headed by the Patriarch of Bulgaria, who, together with the Synod of Metropolitans, represents and exercises the supreme religious authority. Services in churches in Bulgaria are conducted in Bulgarian. The Bulgarian Orthodox Church is divided into dioceses, and these, in turn, into enories, which are headed by priests (usually married).

Orthodoxy played an important role in the formation of the Bulgarian nation. During the reign of foreigners, it helped preserve the native language and, in many ways, culture. The first Christian churches begin to be built at the end of the 1st millennium.

Catholicism

Catholicism is the third largest religion in Bulgaria after Orthodoxy and Islam. Belongs to the Greek Catholic Church. The first representatives of Catholicism appeared in the country in the 14th century during the rule of the Turks. These were merchants and miners from Western European countries, professing Roman Catholicism. In the XVI - XVII centuries. The Paulicians, descendants of one of the largest and most influential heretical movements of the Middle Ages, which originated in Armenia in the 7th century, converted to Catholicism. Due to religious persecution by the Turks in the 18th century. The Paulicians were forced to flee from the territory of the former Byzantine Empire across the Danube and settled in the Banat region. They began to be called Banat Bulgarians. And today, on the border with Serbia and Romania, there live 10-15 thousand descendants of the Paulicians (Banat Bulgarians), who now profess Roman Catholicism. Some of them converted to Islam (Pomaks) and live in Greece, Turkey and Macedonia (former Yugoslavia). At the beginning of the 20th century, during the Armenian genocide in Turkey, Armenians, representatives of the Armenian Orthodox Church, fled to Bulgaria. There are Catholic churches and cathedrals in the country: in Sofia, Plovdiv and other cities.

Islam

It is the second most followed religion in Bulgaria. Islam came after the conquest of the country by the Turks in the 14th century and was implanted, almost by force, mostly among the townspeople. Muslims in Bulgaria vary ethnically. The largest group is represented by Muslims of Turkish origin - ethnic Turks, of whom there are more than 713,000 people in the country. They live compactly in the northeast of the country and on the border with Turkey: in Shumen, Razgrad, Kardzhali, Haskovo. Islam is also professed by about 130,000 ethnic Bulgarians - Pomaks, in the 15th - 17th centuries. forcibly converted to Islam. They live mainly in the Rhodope Mountains. The third largest population is considered to be the Roma (103,000 people), living throughout the country in small groups. Islam in Bulgaria is also practiced by Tatars, Arabs, Circassians (20,000 people), who came to Bulgaria in the 19th century, Albanians and Bosnians.

Muslims in Bulgaria are mostly Sunni (0.03%). There are about 80,000 Shiites in the country.

There are many mosques in the country. The capital of Bulgaria, Sofia, has one of the oldest in Europe; the Büyük and Banya Bashi mosques are of interest. The largest Muslim complex, including a mosque, madrasah, cemetery, library and pavilion with mineral springs, “Tombul Jamia” is located in the city of Shumen. It was built in 1774. There are mosques in Plovdiv (Imaret and Dzhumaya), in Razgrad (Ahmed Bey and Ibrahim Pasha mosques), in Samokov (Bayrakli). It is interesting that some of the religious sites - Demir Baba and the ruins of the village of Obrochishche (near Varna) are simultaneously revered by both Muslims and Christians.

Judaism

Jews have lived in Bulgaria for 2000 years. In the Middle Ages, Jews from Central Europe settled on its lands. Entire communities of Jews expelled from Spain by Catholic kings also found refuge here. At the beginning of World War II, there were about 60,000 representatives of Judaism in the country. They were able to avoid the fate that befell Jews in other Nazi-occupied countries. 90% of Bulgarian Jews emigrated to Israel when the state was created. Today the Jewish community in Bulgaria is small. There are synagogues in many cities: Sofia, Plovdiv, Samokov, Ruse, Vidin, etc.

Religious communities in Bulgaria exist officially and live together.

In the modern world it is a secular state. The human right to freedom to choose religion is enshrined in the country's constitution. Traditionally, the majority of residents (about 75 percent) consider themselves adherents of Orthodoxy. Protestantism, Catholicism, Judaism and Islam are also common in Bulgaria.

From the history

They learned about the Christian religion on the territory of Bulgaria in the 1st century AD. e. A disciple of Paul, one of the apostles, arrived in Varna. His name was Amplius, and he founded the first episcopal see in the country. From then on, Christian churches began to appear, and artists began to paint icons. In the 4th century, a meeting of bishops was held in the capital Sofia in order to strengthen harmony between the churches of the West and the East. The spread of Christianity throughout the state began only in the 9th century. Tsar Boris I decided that the country should be baptized, and this happened.

Now in the capital you can see temples of different religions and denominations in close proximity to each other. Not many religious buildings from the Middle Ages have survived to this day. Among them is the temple of St. Paraskeva-Petka of Tarnovskaya, dating back to the 13th century. And the famous monument - Nevsky Cathedral - was built only in 1908.

Islam

During the Turkish conquests, local residents were forced to convert to Islam, which became another religion of Bulgaria. Many Muslims moved to the country from other states. Gradually the number of adherents of this religion increased. Roma, Greeks, and some Bulgarians adopted Islam in order to save families from having to pay taxes to the Turks.

In the 18th-19th centuries, the number of Muslims among the country's inhabitants began to decline. Many left the country. Only isolated settlements of Muslims remained in the southeastern part of the country. These are mainly Gypsies, Turks, Pomaks (as Islamized Bulgarians are called), there are also some other nationalities: Arabs, Bosnians. There are several mosques throughout the country. The main one is located in the capital, in the same place as the Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky. The Banya Bashi Mosque was built in the 16th century and is one of the oldest in all of Europe. The unique historical monument is made of brick and stone and has many turrets, columns, arches, and an elegant minaret. The mosque was built by Sinan, a famous engineer during the Ottoman Empire.

Judaism

Jews have long been found on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria. The Jewish people lived in Thrace during the Roman Empire. This is evidenced by the ruins of synagogues found by archaeologists in some provincial cities and towns. Especially the massive resettlement of Jews began in the 7th century. The people who suffered persecution in Byzantium were looking for quieter places to live. The Sultan of the Ottoman Empire promised certain rights to the Jews, hoping that they would help enrich the state. At that time, three large Jewish communities emerged: Ashkenazi, Sephardic and Romanite. Over time, the rights of Jews became equal to the rights of ordinary Bulgarian citizens. They served in the army and took part in wars.

After World War II, Jews began to move en masse to Israel. More than 40 thousand people left. Today, the number of adherents of Judaism is only one hundredth of a percent. At the same time, synagogues have been preserved in many cities in Bulgaria; only two are functioning. The majestic Sofia Synagogue was opened in 1909.

This unusual architectural structure was built in the Moorish Revival style. The rich interiors are decorated with a heavy chandelier weighing 1.7 tons. The building is located in the central part of the city. The second synagogue in Bulgaria can be seen in Plovdiv.

Christianity in Bulgaria

The Christian religion in the country is represented by three directions. In addition to Orthodox people, there are also adherents of Protestantism (just over one percent) and Catholicism (0.8 percent). The Church does not depend on the power of the state and other church organizations. The spread of the Catholic faith began in the 14th century.

Unlike the current situation, under the communist regime, religious people experienced severe censure and attacks from the authorities. It was forbidden to publish or have religious literature at home. This situation lasted until the 70s.

Gradually things became tolerant in Bulgaria. By the end of the last century, a huge number of sectarian movements and communities appeared. Now, despite the fact that the majority of the population considers themselves Christians, people have become less religious, attend church less often, and practically do not observe religious customs and fasts. The head of the Bulgarian Church is the Patriarch; the Synod of Metropolitans participates in making some important decisions.

Protestantism

In the second half of the 19th century. A Protestant community first appeared in the Bulgarian town of Bansko. It is believed that this was the result of the activities of missionaries who arrived from America. The Methodist denomination is spreading in the northern part of the country, and the first churches are being built. Followers of Congregationalism began to appear in the south. And at the end of the century communities of Baptists and Adventists were organized. After a few more decades, the composition of Protestant groups was replenished by Pentecostals who arrived from Russia.

Now different faiths interact with each other. The number of Pentecostals continues to grow, and many Roma accept this faith. Some communities are seriously involved in educational activities, organizing their own institutes and courses. All these numerous organizations of different faiths are not only concentrated in the capital, but are also present in Plevna, Stavertsi and some other cities.

Armenian apostolism

Apostolic is also a branch of Christianity and one of the religions of Bulgaria. The Armenian community moved to this country during the genocide of 1915. The number of people has grown in the last 20-30 years, and now the community numbers more than 10 thousand people (and according to some sources, more than 50 thousand). Armenians live in Sofia, Burgas, Plovdiv and other settlements.

During the period of communism, like other religious associations, the community experienced serious difficulties. The revival occurred after 1989. With the collapse of the Soviet Union and the improvement of relations between Armenia and Bulgaria, new members of the diaspora began to arrive in the country again. Armenians care about preserving traditions and cultural heritage and try to improve their churches. Among them are the Church of St. George in Plovdiv, a church in Burgas, built in memory of the events of the genocide.