The Republic of Bulgaria in the modern world is a secular state. The human right to freedom of choice of religion is enshrined in the country's constitution. Traditionally, the majority of residents (about 75 percent) consider themselves adherents of Orthodoxy. Protestantism, Catholicism, Judaism and Islam are also common in Bulgaria.
From history
On the territory of Bulgaria learned about the Christian religion in the 1st century AD. e. A disciple of Paul, one of the apostles, arrived in Varna. His name was Amplius, and he founded the first episcopal see in the country. Since then, Christian churches began to appear, artists began to paint icons. In the 4th century, a meeting of bishops was held in the capital of Sofia in order to strengthen harmony between the churches of the West and the East. The spread of Christianity throughout the state began only in the 9th century. Tsar Boris I decided that the country should be baptized, and this happened.
Now in the capital you can see in close proximity to each other temples of different religions andconfessions. Not many religious buildings of the Middle Ages have survived to our times. Among them is the temple of St. Paraskeva-Petka of Tarnovskaya, dating back to the 13th century. A well-known monument - the Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky - was built only in 1908
Islam
During the Turkish conquests, local residents were forced to convert to Islam, which became another religion in Bulgaria. Many Muslims moved to the country from other states. Gradually, the number of adherents of this religion increased. Gypsies, Greeks, some Bulgarians adopted Islam in order to save their families from having to pay taxes to the Turks.
In the XVIII-XIX centuries, the number of Muslims among the inhabitants of the country began to decline. Many have left the country. Only isolated settlements of Muslims remained in the southeastern part of the country. Mostly they are gypsies, Turks, Pomaks (the so-called Islamized Bulgarians), there are some other nationalities: Arabs, Bosnians. There are several mosques throughout the country. The main one is located in the capital, in the same place as the Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky. The Banya Bashi Mosque was built in the 16th century; it is one of the oldest in all of Europe. The unique historical monument is made of brick and stone, has many turrets, columns, arches, and an elegant minaret in its design. The mosque was built by Sinan, a famous engineer from the Ottoman era.
Judaism
Jews have long met on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria. The Jewish people lived in Thrace even during the existence of the Roman Empire. This is evidenced by the findingsarchaeologists of the ruins of synagogues in some provincial cities and towns. A particularly massive migration of Jews to the Bulgarian kingdom began in the 7th century. The people, who suffered persecution in Byzantium, were looking for more peaceful places to live. Certain rights were promised to the Jews by the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, hoping that they would help enrich the state. At that time, three large Jewish communities arose: Ashkenazi, Sephardi and Romanites. Over time, the rights of the Jews became equal to the rights of ordinary citizens of Bulgaria. They served in the army, took part in wars.
After World War II, Jews began to move to Israel en masse. More than 40 thousand people left. Today, the number of adherents of Judaism is only one hundredth of a percent. At the same time, synagogues have been preserved in many cities in Bulgaria, only two are active. The majestic Sophia Synagogue was opened in 1909
This unusual architectural structure was built in the style of the Moorish Revival. Rich interiors are decorated with the heaviest chandelier weighing 1.7 tons. The building is located in the central part of the city. The second synagogue in Bulgaria can be seen in Plovdiv.
Christianity in Bulgaria
The Christian religion in the country is represented by three directions. In addition to Orthodox people, there are also adherents of Protestantism (just over one percent) and Catholicism (0.8 percent). The Church does not depend on the power of the state and other church organizations. The spread of the Catholic faith began in the 14th century.
Unlike the current situation, withIn the communist regime, believers experienced severe censure and attacks from the authorities. It was forbidden to publish and have religious literature at home. This situation lasted until the 70s.
Gradually, the attitude towards religion in Bulgaria became tolerant. By the end of the last century, a huge number of sectarian movements and communities appeared. Now, despite the fact that most of the population identifies themselves as Christians, people have become less religious, attend church less often, practically do not observe religious customs and fasts. The head of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church is the Patriarch, and the Synod of Metropolitans participates in some important decisions.
Protestantism
In the second half of the XIX century. in the Bulgarian town of Bansko for the first time appeared a community of Protestants. It is believed that this was the result of the activities of missionaries who arrived from America. In the northern part of the country, the Methodist denomination is spreading, and the first churches are being erected. In the south, followers of congregationalism began to appear. And at the end of the century, Baptist and Adventist communities are organized. A few decades later, the Protestant groups are replenished with Pentecostals who arrived from Russia.
Now different faiths interact with each other. The number of Pentecostals continues to grow, this faith is accepted by many gypsies. Some communities are seriously engaged in educational activities, setting up their own institutes and courses. All these numerous organizations of different faiths are not only concentrated in the capital, butare also present in Plevna, Stavertsy and some other cities.
Armenian Apostolicism
The Armenian Apostolic Church is also an offshoot of Christianity and one of the religions in Bulgaria. The Armenian community moved to this country during the 1915 genocide. The population has grown in the last 20-30 years, and now the community numbers more than 10 thousand people (and according to some sources, more than 50 thousand). Armenians live in Sofia, Burgas, Plovdiv and other settlements.
During the period of communism, like other religious associations, the community experienced serious difficulties. A revival took place after 1989. With the collapse of the Soviet Union and the establishment of relations between Armenia and Bulgaria, new members of the diaspora began to arrive in the country again. Armenians care about the preservation of traditions and cultural heritage, they try to ennoble churches. Among them are the church of St. George in Plovdiv, the church in Burgas, built in memory of the events of the genocide.
