Българското църковно представителство в Истанбул и въпросът за вдигане на схизмата
The Bulgarian Church Representation in Istanbul and the Issue of Lifting the Schism

Summary/Abstract: Nowadays in Istanbul, Turkey, there is a Bulgarian colony, which was created after the Second Balkan War and the First World War. It was not related to the Bulgarians in Constantinople from the times of the Bulgarian National Revival, but through the Foundation of Bulgarian Orthodox Churches in Istanbul as established, it was their legal successor. The Foundation was also the formal owner of that part of the Bulgarian exarchal properties in Turkey which the Turkish State returned. Lifting the schism was an act of international and internal political importance. This act put an end to the use of the Exarchy as a mean to unite all the Bulgarians within the borders of a new Bulgaria according to the Treaty of San Stefano. In essence, this was a retreat from the national ideal. The conditions for lifting the schism, the closing of the Exarchal Vicegerency and the unresolved status of the Bulgarian Church Community deprived the Bulgarians in the Republic of Turkey of Bulgarian representation on church affairs and predetermined their remaining within the diocese of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. This issue has consequences even nowadays.

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