site.btaMay 5 Маrks 185th Anniversary of Prominent Bulgarian Religious, National Leader Exarch Joseph I's Birth

Exarch Joseph I (secular name: Lazar Yovchev) was born оn May 5, 1840. He was a prominent Bulgarian religious and national leader, who played a pivotal role in the development of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. 

Born in the southern Bulgarian town of Kalofer, he was educated in Constantinople, Paris, and later in theology and diplomacy in Geneva. In 1877, he was elected Bulgarian Exarch and served in that role until his death in 1915. 

A respected diplomat and spiritual leader, Exarch Joseph was known for his moderate stance and for advocating for education, national consciousness, and peaceful dialogue. He spent most of his service in Constantinople, where, in 1892, founded the Bulgarian Theological Seminary.

With his support, between 1912 and 1913, a total of 1,373 schools were opened in Bulgaria, including 13 high schools and 87 junior high schools, serving 78,854 students and staffed by 2,266 teachers.

He was elected an honorary member of the Bulgarian Literary Society (today the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences) in 1902.

Exarch Joseph I is remembered as one of the most influential figures in the Bulgarian national revival and religious independence movement.