Christianity in Bulgaria

The Republic of Bulgaria is located in Southeast Europe, in the Eastern flank of the Balkans. The country shares boundary with Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, and the Black Sea to the east. Sofia is the nation’s capital and largest city, while the official language is Bulgarian. The country has a human population of 6,447,710, and several ethnic groups. These include Bulgarians, 84.6%; Turks, 8.4%; Roma, 4.4%; others 2.6%. Christianity is the dominant faith. The religious configuration by percentage is Bulgarian Orthodoxy, 62.7%; other Christian denominations, 2%; Atheism, 15.9%; Islam, 9.8%; other faiths, 9.6%.

Modern History

        Bulgaria was under communist rule between 1942 and 1990. The collapse of communism in the country started in the 1980s. In April 1989, the communists renamed themselves the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP). Thereafter, the totalitarian regime was dismantled. However, multi-party elections were not held until June 1990, which the BSP won. From 1991, controls on prices were removed and state socialism scrapped. Industry was privatised and collective farms dissolved. A new constitution was introduced in the country in July 1991, paving way for another election in October of that year, which the BSP lost.

         Like the other post-communist regimes in Eastern Europe, Bulgaria found the transition to capitalism more painful than expected. After a period of calm and receptiveness to the West in the early 1990s, the country returned to a dictatorial system that distrusted foreign influences. Bulgaria joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) in 2004 and undertook substantial economic and political reform before joining the European Union in 2007.

God’s Canvass

 The most notable topographical features of the country are the Danubian Plain, the Balkan Mountains, the Thracian Plain, and the Rila-Rhodope massif. The southern edge of the Danubian Plain slopes upward into the foothills of the Balkans, while the Danube defines the border with Romania. The Black Sea coast is the country’s lowest point. Plains occupy about one third of the territory, while plateaux and hills occupy 41%. Most rivers are short with low water levels. The longest river located solely in Bulgarian territory, the Iskar, is 368 kilometres in length. Bulgaria is home to diverse fauna and flora as shown below.

Fauna

The country’s native wildlife includes bears, wolves, wild boars, red foxes and hedgehogs. Some of the animals are presented below.

Flora       

This consists of more than 4,100 species, including more than 45 species of ferns, 250 species of mosses, and 2,800 higher plant species. Some of them are shown below.

Beaches

Culture

Contemporary Bulgarian culture is a lively blend of millennium-old folk traditions and a more formal culture that played a vital role in the emergence of national consciousness under the Ottoman rule and in the development of a modern state. Because the country’s population is largely homogenous, the degree of cultural variation even at the regional level is small. The state encourages cultural development at all levels of society and supports the dissemination of culture, particularly through schools, libraries, museums, publishing, state radio and television.

Traditional Attire

Bulgarians call their traditional clothing ‘Nosiya’, with each unique to the person wearing it. The women’s costume are comprised of pinafore, skirt, buckles, apron and colourful jewelry. The women make their costumes all by themselves. At age five, little girls start learning to spin wheels, sew, weave and prepare the trousseau for their weddings. From their twelfth to the wedding day, they are taught to embroider. This is the highest skill of all domestic crafts. The men costume consists of full –bottomed breeches, girdle, vest, shirt and other accessories. Some of the costumes for both genders are presented below.

Cuisine   

Aside from the vast variety of local Bulgarian dishes, its cuisine shares a number of characteristics with those from Iran, Turkey and Greece. Some unique dishes in the country are shown below.

Status of Christianity in Bulgaria

The Bulgarian Orthodox Church is the dominant denomination and strongly linked to national identity. Consequently, non-Orthodox groups like Protestants or Evangelicals are treated as alien to the nation. The Bulgarian Orthodox Church also played a crucial role in preserving the nation’s culture during the Ottoman occupation. It remained central to the sense of its nationhood even under the post-war communist regimes. What this translates to is that the preaching of the gospel by Evangelicals is severely curtailed in most parts of the country. It is worth noting that most of the Orthodox Churches in Europe are not concerned with winning souls for the Kingdom of God. Protestants intent on fulfilling the Great Commission of Christ face a backlash from those who want to maintain the status quo. In the light of the foregoing, we need to intensify prayers for salvation of unsaved souls in the country.

Prayer Points

1. Pray for the Father to stir up a revival of true faith within the Orthodox populations.
2. Ask Him to destroy all faulty foundations that have prevented members of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church from modelling Christ with their lives.
3. Pray that God would judge and dethrone all demonic principalities and powers using religion to undermine the preaching of the gospel in the country.
4. Pray that the Father would send workers into His harvest in Bulgaria.
5. Ask Him to pour out His Spirit on all flesh in the country to lead them to genuine repentance.
6. Pray that God would expose all demonic doctrines and errors that have infiltrated institutional churches in Bulgaria, and empower the people to reject them with vehemence.
7. Ask the Father to purge Christian believers of pollutions from the world and the kingdom of darkness through doctrines of demons and other errors.
8. Pray that He would sanctify these believers by His word that they may know the truth and be delivered from the lies of satan.
9. Ask the Father to reveal Himself to the so-called Atheists who have been deceived by demons into believing that He (God) does not exist.
10.  Pray that God would open the eyes of the Orthodox community in the country to the importance of the Holy Spirit as the administrator of the Church of Jesus Christ, to enable them open their hearts to His ministry.