The Russian church of St. Nicholas was closed on Thursday afternoon and is not yet open. Patriarch Neophyte approved four priests to serve there. But who can lock Eastern Orthodox churches in Bulgaria besides the Holy Synod? The topic was commented on Nova TV by Bishop Tikhon of Tikhon.

"Without the order of the Patriarch, a temple cannot be closed," the father said.

According to him, the Russian Church is under the jurisdiction of Neophyte.

Mitrofanova threatens Bulgaria over the case with the Russian Church

"The whole trouble is in one thing – here we have a psychological problem, an emotional one, a state problem, a legal problem and a church problem," the bishop of Tiberiopolis said. He stressed the difference between diplomatic and diplomatic actions. According to Tikhon, the Bulgarian state acted diplomatically, persecuting priests, but did not do so diplomatically.

"One thing is certain. I'd love it if theirs and our policies didn't interfere so much. They cannot say one 'Our Father', and all have become specialists in religious and legal matters," Tikhon said.

Patriarch Neophyte

Bishop Tikhon