ANNOUNCEMENT
on behalf of the Ecclesiastical Council of the Old Calendar Orthodox Church of Bulgaria
Beloved in the Lord Fathers, Brothers and Sisters,
As proclaimed in a previous Announcement on behalf of the Ecclesiastical Council dated July 27, 2014 (N. S.), talks are being held between the Orthodox Old Calendar Church of Bulgaria and the Church of the Genuine Orthodox Christians of Greece on the establishment of full ecclesiastical communion. During the talks, the Greek side made the point that in order to strengthen the prestige and dignity of the Orthodox Old Calendar Church of Bulgaria as a self-governing Church, it is desirable that a Synod be formed under the chairmanship of His Grace Bishop Photiy with the help of hierarchs from the Sister Churches, who are to be incorporated in the Synod as its provisional members. After discussing and approving this recommendation, the Ecclesiastical Council of the Orthodox Old Calendar Church of Bulgaria unanimously decided that the Ruling Hierarch should address the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, His Eminence, Metropolitan Agathangel with a request that the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad blesses two of its hierarchs to be co-opted for the formation of the Synod of the Orthodox Old Calendar Church of Bulgaria with a status of its provisional members. Metropolitan Agathangel and the hierarchs of the ROCOR Synod responded positively to our request and gave us selfless brotherly support. By a decree of His Grace Bishop Photiy № 01 from December 18, 2014 (N. S.) and according to Decision № 5 from November 6, 2014 (N. S.) of the Ecclesiastical Council, a Hierarchical Synod of the Orthodox Old Calendar Church of Bulgaria has been formed with His Grace Bishop Photiy of Triaditza serving as chairman, and provisional members Their Eminences Archbishop George of Kishinev and Moldova and Bishop Nikon of Ishim and Siberia.
The Greek side has been informed of the actions taken by us. The place and the date of the official establishment of full ecclesiastical communion with the Church of the Genuine Orthodox Christians of Greece are to be agreed upon, which shall be fortified by the celebration of the Divine Liturgy by both Primates and by hierarchs of the two Sister Churches.