Bulgarian Exarchate

Until the Balkan Wars 1912 / 1913 , the Bulgarian Exarchate disposed of a total of 23 bishoprics in Bulgaria and Macedonia ( Vidin , Vratsa , Nish , Lovech , Veliko Tarnovo , Ruse , Silistra , Varna , Preslav , Sliven , Stara Zagora , Plovdiv , Sofia , Samokov , Kyustendil , Skopje , Debar , Bitola , Ohrid , Veles , Strumitsa and Nevrokop ) and was represented by acting chairmen in charge in eight other bishoprics in Macedonia and the Adrianople Vilayet (Lerin / Florina /, Voden / Edessa /, Kostur / Kastoria /, Solun / Thessaloniki /, Kukush / Kilkis /, Syar / Serres /, Odrin / Adrianople / and Xanthi ).

After the Balkan Wars and World War I , the Bulgarian Exarchate was deprived of its bishoprics in Macedonia and Thrace and its diocese shrank to the territory of modern Bulgaria. After the death of Joseph I in 1915, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church was not in a position to elect its regular head until 1953 when the patriarchal dignity of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church was restored and the Holy Synod elected the Metropolitan of Plovdiv, Cyril, Bulgarian Patriarch. For more information about the Bulgarian Exarchate and other periods in the history of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church , see Bulgarian Orthodox Church .

SEE ALSO

	CATEGORIES ABOUT BULGARIAN EXARCHATE

	eastern orthodoxy

	bulgarian orthodox church

	macedonian orthodox church

	history of bulgaria

	history of the republic of macedonia

	history of the balkans

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