site.btaUPDATED Holy Synod Opposes Holding of Sofia Pride 2026
The Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church said on Saturday that it opposes the holding of Sofia Pride 2026 and disagrees with the ideas and messages promoted through the event, while Bulgarian Patriarch Daniil called for the protection of traditional family values and announced plans for the Church to take over the organization of the Family March from next year.
In a statement published on its official website, the Holy Synod reiterated the Orthodox Church's teaching that human beings were created by God as man and woman and that the family, founded on marriage between a man and a woman, is the natural environment for life, love and the upbringing of children.
The Holy Synod expressed concern over what it described as attempts to present views and patterns of behaviour incompatible with Christian moral teaching as an equal alternative to the order established by God. It said particular concern arises when such messages are directed at children and young people who are still forming their values and personal identity.
The Church urged parents to take an active role in the spiritual and moral upbringing of their children and to raise them in accordance with Christian virtues and family values. It also called on state institutions, civil society organizations and society as a whole to promote marriage and family, strengthen the nation's moral foundations and preserve Bulgaria's spiritual and cultural heritage.
"No nation can have a healthy future if respect for family, parenthood and the moral principles preserved and passed on by generations of Bulgarians is weakened," the statement said.
Patriarch Daniil, who later addressed participants in the Family March in Sofia, echoed the Synod's position. He said the Church teaches that marriage is between a man and a woman and voiced concern about the promotion of behavioural models that, in his words, are incompatible with Christianity.
He said it was particularly troubling when such messages are aimed at children and young people who are still developing their worldview and stressed the responsibility of parents to provide moral guidance.
At the same time, Daniil emphasized that the Church does not reject anyone and prays for every person, but has a duty to protect believers from what he described as spiritual deception.
The Patriarch thanked political parties that have expressed support for the traditional family and said public officials and state institutions have a responsibility to uphold the Constitution, which defines marriage as a voluntary union between a man and a woman. He added that he prays for lawmakers to be guided in initiatives serving the public good.
Speaking after serving at Sofia's St Nedelya Cathedral, Daniil said contemporary society poses significant challenges for families and children. He stressed that the Church's mission is to help people draw closer to what he called a "divine life" and to strengthen family values.
Referring to the Family March, he said it should not be viewed as a protest or counter-event to Sofia Pride but rather as a call for spiritual unity and moral life.
Daniil announced that from next year the Church will assume full responsibility for organizing the march and place it under its patronage. He said the event would no longer be held on the same day as Sofia Pride in order to avoid creating grounds for confrontation. Instead, it would be linked to the feast of the Bulgarian saints and focus on prayer for the protection of marriage, children and the Bulgarian people.
The Patriarch said he had chosen not to lead this year's march personally but intends to do so next year when it is organized directly under the auspices of the Church.
He concluded by calling on Bulgarians to draw strength from faith in overcoming personal struggles and to follow the example of the Bulgarian saints in remaining faithful to their spiritual roots.
/MR/
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