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Bulgaria: The Bishops' Files

March 11, 2014

The Bulgarian Orthodox Church is resisting a review of its Communist past. Especially when it comes spying carried out by bishops, the church is refusing to acknowledge accusations.

https://p.dw.com/p/1BNP6
Bulgarien Patriarch Maxim
Image: picture-alliance/dpa

About a year ago, a government commission charged with looking into Bulgaria under Communist rule published a list of Orthodox church leaders who collaborated with the secret police. Eleven of the church's 15 bishops were exposed as having acted as agents for state security. But the bishops have faced no consequences, much to the shock of their victims. Now they’re demanding that the former spies be tried before a church tribunal.

Bulgarien Land und Leute Kloster Trojan Fresko
Image: J. Sorges