Bulgarian Exarchate

Over 300,000 people, mostly Bulgarian tourists, visited the Bulgarian St. Stephen Church in Istanbul since it was reopened two years ago, executives of a foundation overseeing the monumental building have said.

Patriarch Neofit said this for the news.bg website.

"When these details around the name of Macedonia have been clarified, the issue of the church will certainly be launched," Neofit said.

At the same time, he announced that the Bulgarian Church will discuss the autocephaly of the Ukrainian church and assessed that this is an important issue.

Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomaios issued a strong rebuke to the Church of Bulgaria over its support for the schismatic church in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM).

Russia's Patriarch Kirill arrives in Bulgaria on 2nd of March on a three-day visit. His visit is at the invitation of the Bulgarian Patriarch Neophyte and the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, as the Russian Patriarch will participate in the celebrations dedicated to the 140th anniversary of the Liberation of Bulgaria from Ottoman Rule.

Bulgarian Orthodox Sveti Stefan church in Istanbul to be opened after seven-year restoration

The Bulgarian Orthodox Church has taken a step towards possible eventual recognition of Macedonia's Orthodox Church, a rapprochement that echoes a warming of relations between the governments of the two Balkan neighbors.

Following a meeting on Monday, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church's Patriarchate announced that it has formed a committee to lead talks with other Orthodox churches on the status of Macedonian Orthodox Church, which remains unrecognised as a result of a long-lasting dispute with Serbian Orthodox Church.

Macedonia's unrecogised Orthodox Church has startled the Orthodox world - and possibly started a new conflict with the Church in Serbia, by asking the Bulgarian Orthodox Church to assume a form of parental authority over it.

The Bulgarian Church told BIRN on Monday that it will probably discuss the unusual request from the Macedonian Orthodox Church at a meeting set for November 27.

Bulgaria and Macedonia will hold for the first time a joint event to mark the annual celebrations of the Slavic Script and Culture.

On May 11, Archbishop Stefan, head of the Macedonian Orthodox Church, and the chair of Macedonia's Academy of Science Vlado Kambovski are due to arrive in Sofia, CROSS agency has reported.