Bulgarian hierarch: Not every Church can boast of its flock like the UOC

Metropolitan Gabriel (Dinev) of Lovech during the cross procession in the Mgarsky monastery of the UOC. Photo: pravoslavie.poltava.ua

Not every Local Church can boast of such a flock, such believers as the UOC, said the hierarch of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Gabriel (Dinev) of Lovech, in an interview with the press service of the Poltava diocese of the UOC.

Vladyka Gabriel noted that he really liked the spirit of the people he met in the churches of the UOC.

He told about his observations in the Mgarsky monastery before the festive service on the feast day of St. Athanasius, the wonderworker of Lubne.

“I went out for an early walk, a little past 7 am,” said the Bulgarian Metropolitan. “And I saw these people were heading to church, they came to church early, even at that time they were there.

Well, who would come early to church unless they had that flame in their soul to come and pray at the holiday! This fire is almost palpable; it can be seen in the expression of faces, in the eyes. And everyone somehow wanted to receive a blessing."

The bishop concluded that in these people there is a great church spirit regardless of the difficulties in the country.

“These are real Orthodox people,” he said. "I think not every Church can boast of such a flock, such believers."

Metropolitan Gabriel called on the clergy of the UOC to protect their flock, which is "good and God-thirsty."

As the UOJ reported, the hierarch of the Bulgarian Church called the UOC a single canonical Church in Ukraine.

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