The Bulgarian Exarchate: The Ottoman Firman
GS
Thanks for posting this. One thing that would be interesting to
historically trace would be the relations between the patriarchate and the
Exarchate after its establishment, the Patirarchate of Constantinople and
the Patriarch of Serbia, in its various incarnations and the relations
between the Exarchate and the Patriarch of Serbia. Know of any studies?
Adiditonally, could you give your read on the current divisions of the
bulgarian Church both inside bulgaria and in America? Are you of the
opinion htat the OCA BUlgarian churches ought return to the Exarchate or
not?
Galina
Tinko Eftimov wrote:
> The Imperial Ottoman Firman Relative to the Establishment of
>
> THE BULGARIAN EXARCHATE
>
> The text is taken from the book Man, State and Society in East
> European History edited by Stephen Fischer-Galati, Pall Mall Press,
> London, 1970, pp200-203.
>
> The original text of the document is reprinted from Balcanicus, The
> Aspirations of Bulgaria, London: Simpkin Marshall, Hamilton, Kent & Co.,
> Ltd, 1915, pp. 245-249.
>
> Commentary from the Book:
>
> Although the disintegration of the Ottoman Empire was accelerated in the
> 1860's and 1870's by nationalism, imperialism, and incipient capitalism,
> the sultans remained impervious to the forces of change.
>
> Their attitude was most evident with repsect to the Bulgarians, the
> Christian subjects of the Porte who had been most iolated from the
> political currents of the nineteenth century.
>
> In the Bulgarian areas of the Ottoman Empire, the principal exponent of
> nationalistic doctrine was the Church, whose aim, as lata as the 1860's,
> was to gain administrative autonomy from the Greek Patrirchate in
> Constantinople. The Porte, for political reasons, was prepared to
> consider this demand for religious autonomy, and in 1870 it established
> a Bulgarian national church (Bulgarian Exarchate). It is noteworthy that
> the Bulgarian demands were strongly supported by Tsarist Russia, which
> at the time was willing to recognize the validity only of a religiously
> based, conservative nationalism.
>
> The TEXT of the FIRMAN
>
> It has been at all times My Imperial desire that all faithful peoples
> and subjects dwelling in my Empire should enjoy to the full extent such
> order and security as are necessary for the professing of their
> religions, as also in all their social relations; that they should live
> in peace and humanity, in order that they may by so doing aid Us to the
> utmost of their ability in Our incessant efforts for the furtherance of
> Our Empire and of civilization.
>
> But inasmuch as there have of late arisen - contrary to Our Imperial
> wish - certain misunderstandings and misinterpretations as to how far
> the Bulgarian metropolitans, bishops, priests, and churches be dependent
> upon the Patriarchate - which misunderstandings and misinterpretations
> have greatly grieved Us - it has been found necessary to institute an
> investigation into the causes which have led up to the said
> misunderstandings and misinterpretations and to submit them to a
> thorough examination. The results of this investigation are embodied in
> the following articles, which have been adopted and approved as being
> the definite solution of the controversy.
>
> ARTICLE I
>
> A separate ecclesiastic district shall be established under the official
> name of "the Bulgarian Exarchate", the same to include certain
> districts over and above the metropolitanates and bishopries hereafter
> to the be mentioned. The administration of the spiritual and religious
> matters in these districts to be entirely vested in this Exarchate.
>
> ARTICLE II
>
> The chief Metropolitan of theese districts shall bear the title of
> "Exarch". He shall also be the cannonical president of the Bulgarian
> Synod.
>
> ARTICLE III
>
> The internal spiritual administration of this Exarchate shall be
> established by a supplementary law, which must be in accordance with the
> fundamental canonic and religious regulations of the Orthodox Church and
> which must be previously subjected to the approval of My Imperial
> Government.
>
> This supplementary law must preclude the possibility of any
> interference, either direct or indirect, on the part of the Patriarch,
> with religious matters, or with the elections of bishops and exarchs. As
> soon as the Exarch is elected, the Bulgarian Synod shall inform the
> Patriarch of the fact; and the Patriarch, on his part, shall immediately
> grant his approval, in accordance with religious law.
>
> ARTICLE IV
>
> The Exarch, having been appointed through Our sublime firman, shall
> mention the name of the Patriarch in the prayers in accordance with the
> rubric of the Church; but previous to his election, the person
> considered worthy of the office of Exarch must be personally presented
> to My Government
>
> ARTICLE V
>
> In matters pertaining to his jurisdiction, the Exarch will have the
> right to negotiate directly with the local authorities and, if need be,
> even with Our Sublime Porte. The approval must be obtained before berats
> [investiture] may be granted to such persons in holy orders as come
> under his jurisdiction.
>
> ARTICLE VI
>
> All matters concerning the Orthodox faith and necessitating mutual
> consultation must be referred by the Bulgarian Synod to Vasselenski
> Patriarchate and Synod; and these shall be bound to render assistance
> without delay and to answer without hesitation such questions asmay be
> put to them.
>
> ARTICLE VII
>
> The Bulgarian Synod shall receive the Holy Oil from the Patriarch of
> Constantinople.
>
> ARTICLE VIII
>
> Such bishops, archbishops, and metropolitans as are subject to the
> Vasselenski Patriarchate shall be at liberty to approach the Bulgarian
> Exarchate, in the same manner as the Bulgarian bishops and archbishops
> holding office in Greek eparchies; they will also be permitted to
> sejourn in the capitals of vilayets and other centers of administration;
> but they must not convoke synods outside the limits of their own
> diocese, nor officiate without the permission of thebishop of the
> diocese in which they happen to be.
>
> ARTICLE IX
>
> Even as the metoch of Jerusalem, which is situated in Phanar, is
> dependent upon the Patriarch of Jerusalem, so the Bulgarian metoch and
> church situated in the same suburb shall belong to the Bulgarian
> Exarchate. And whenever the Exarch shall require to come to
> Constantinople, he shall be allowed to reside in his metoch; as to such
> Divine Service as he may have to celebrate during his sejourn in the
> capital he shall be subject to the same ecclesiastic rules as apply in
> similar cases to the Patriarch of Alexandria, Drenopolje, and
> Jerusalem.
>
> ARTICLE X
>
> The jurisdiction of the Bulgarian Exarchate shall extend over the
> eparchies of Sofia, Vratsa, Tulcea, Vidin, Nis, Pirot, Kiustendil,
> Samokov, Veles, Plovdiv, Mute-Sariflik Islimme, and the "caasa" of
> Sosopolie, with the exception of about twelve villages on the shores of
> the Black Sea, between Varna and Kustendje [Constanta], which are
> inhabited by a non-Bulgarian population. The following towns shall also
> be excepted: Varna, Anhial, Mesemvria, Plovdiv, and Stanimaka, together
> with the villages of Kuklen, Voden, Arnaut-Key, Panagia, Novo-Selo,
> Leskov, Ahman, Batchovo, Belasitsa, and the monasteries of St.
> Anargirius, St. Paraskeva, and St. George. The monastery of St. Panagia
> and the interior of the Plovdiv district shall belong to the Exarchate,
> but such inhabitants of the eparchy as may not wish to be under the
> Exarchate shall be free. The details in this matter shall be arranged
> between the Patriarchate and the Exarchate in accordance with canonic
> and ecclesiastic law.
>
> If the population of any other places besides those enumerated above,
> and professing the Orthodox faith, should wish unanimously, or if at
> least two-thirds of them should wish to be subject of the Bulgarian
> Exarchate, and if subsequent investigation should prove this to be so,
> their desire ought to be gratified; but as suvh desire may be expressed
> either by the whole population, or at least by two-thirds thereof, such
> persons as would attempt to spread discord among the population shall be
> held responsible to the law.
>
> ARTICLE XI
>
> Such monasteries as are situated in the Exarchate and which are, by
> canonic law, subject to the control of the Patriarchate shall continue
> to be governed as they have been hitherto.
>
> Note: Tulcea and Kustendje are in Northern Dobrudjea. Northern
> Dobrudjea was transferred to Romania after the Russo-Turkish war of
> 1877/78 in compensation for the loss of Moldavia to Russia.
> Analogously, Pirot and Nish were transferred to Serbia for its
> participation in the war. Veles is now in the R Macedonia (Titov-Veles).