Beloved in the Lord Fathers, Brothers and Sisters,

We are glad to inform you that the dialogue on the establishment of formal ecclesiastical communion between the Old Calendar Orthodox Church of Bulgaria and the Church of the Genuine Orthodox Christians of Greece was brought to a successful conclusion. On January 26, 2015 (N. S.) His Eminence, Bishop Photiy, Chairman of the Synod of the Old Calendar Orthodox Church of Bulgaria met His Beatitude, Archbishop Kallinikos and hierarchs of the Synod of the Genuine Orthodox Christians of Greece. During the talks, both sides confirmed that there are no obstacles of confessional nature that may hinder the establishment of formal ecclesiastical communion between the two sister Churches. As a result of this mutually affirmed perception, His Eminence, Bishop Photiy signed the joint ecclesiological paper entitled “The True Orthodox Church in Opposition to the Heresy of Ecumenism: Dogmatic and Canonical Issues” together with the Chief Prelates of the three sister Churches – the Church of the Genuine Orthodox Christians of Greece, the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad and the Old Calendar Orthodox Church of Romania.

Both sides confirmed that the canonical-administrative problem with the existence of structures of the Church of the Genuine Orthodox Christians of Greece in Bulgaria shall be resolved according to the rules of the Holy Orthodox Church concerning the relationships between self-governing Churches. After the Greek side, in brotherly interaction with the Bulgarian side, accomplishes what is necessary in this regard, a date for a joint concelebration of the Divine Liturgy will be agreed upon and announced in due time.

Sofia, Febuary 1, 2015 (N. S.)

Meeting with the hierarchs of the Holy Synod of the Church of the Genuine Orthodox Christians of Greece

Signing of the ecclesiological paper entitled “The True Orthodox Church in Opposition to the Heresy of Ecumenism: Dogmatic and Canonical Issues”

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(c) Bulgarian-Orthodox-Church.org