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His Grace, '''Anthony of Provat''' was a [[bishop]] of the [[Church of Bulgaria]] during the post-World War II era of communist rule of Bulgaria. He sided for a few years with the [[schism]]atics within the Church of Bulgaria following the fall of the communist government.
==Life==
Bishop Anthony was born in 1915 in the village of Hurletz in the Vratsa region in northwestern Bulgaria. After graduating from the Theological Faculty in 1941, he entered a [[monasticism|monastic]] life in 1943 when he was [[tonsure]]d a [[monk]], with the name Anthony, and [[ordination|ordained]] a [[deacon]]. He was ordained to the [[priest]]hood later in 1943. In 1944, Fr. Anthony served in Drama in Greek Macedonia when the Bulgarians occupied part of northern Greece. In 1944, after the communists had taken control of the government in Bulgaria, he was jailed, but was released after he appealed to the Communist party chief [[w:Georgi_Dimitrov|Georgi Dimitrov]].
Fr. Anthony was [[consecration of a bishop|consecrated]] a bishop in 1962 and appointed a [[Vicar]] of the Vidin [[Diocese|eparchy]]. From 1977 to 1985 he served as Vicar of the Dorostol and Cherven eparchy. In 1988, Bp. Anthony was given charge of the Patriarchal [[cathedral]] in Sofia, serving until 1992. In 1992, Bp. Anthony became part of the [[Bulgarian Alternative Synod|schismatic movement]] in the Church of Bulgaria following the dismissal of the [[Holy Synod]] led by [[Patriarch]] [[Maxim (Minkov) of Bulgaria|Maxim]] by the new democratic government of Bulgaria headed by [[w:Philip_Dimitrov|Philip Dimitrov]]. He led the schismatics' organization in Rousse. However in 1997, he re-joined the Maxim led [[synod]].
Bishop Anthony reposed in Rousse, Bulgaria, on [[April 15]], 2002. His funeral service was led by Patr. Maxim.
{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Bishop<br>Vicar of the Vidin Eparchy|
years=1962-1977|
after=?}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Bishop<br>Vicar of the Dorostol and Cherven eparchy|
years=1977-1992|
after=?}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Bishop of Provat|
years=1997-2002|
after=?}}
{{end box}}
==Sources==
*[http://www.orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/hierarchs/bulgaria/obituaries/obit_antonii_bishop_provat.htm Bishop Antonii Dead at 87]
*[http://www.orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/hierarchs/bulgaria/bios/bio_antonii_bishop_provat.html Bishop Antonii of Provat]
[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:20th-21st-century bishops]]
[[Category:Bishops of Provat]]
==Life==
Bishop Anthony was born in 1915 in the village of Hurletz in the Vratsa region in northwestern Bulgaria. After graduating from the Theological Faculty in 1941, he entered a [[monasticism|monastic]] life in 1943 when he was [[tonsure]]d a [[monk]], with the name Anthony, and [[ordination|ordained]] a [[deacon]]. He was ordained to the [[priest]]hood later in 1943. In 1944, Fr. Anthony served in Drama in Greek Macedonia when the Bulgarians occupied part of northern Greece. In 1944, after the communists had taken control of the government in Bulgaria, he was jailed, but was released after he appealed to the Communist party chief [[w:Georgi_Dimitrov|Georgi Dimitrov]].
Fr. Anthony was [[consecration of a bishop|consecrated]] a bishop in 1962 and appointed a [[Vicar]] of the Vidin [[Diocese|eparchy]]. From 1977 to 1985 he served as Vicar of the Dorostol and Cherven eparchy. In 1988, Bp. Anthony was given charge of the Patriarchal [[cathedral]] in Sofia, serving until 1992. In 1992, Bp. Anthony became part of the [[Bulgarian Alternative Synod|schismatic movement]] in the Church of Bulgaria following the dismissal of the [[Holy Synod]] led by [[Patriarch]] [[Maxim (Minkov) of Bulgaria|Maxim]] by the new democratic government of Bulgaria headed by [[w:Philip_Dimitrov|Philip Dimitrov]]. He led the schismatics' organization in Rousse. However in 1997, he re-joined the Maxim led [[synod]].
Bishop Anthony reposed in Rousse, Bulgaria, on [[April 15]], 2002. His funeral service was led by Patr. Maxim.
{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Bishop<br>Vicar of the Vidin Eparchy|
years=1962-1977|
after=?}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Bishop<br>Vicar of the Dorostol and Cherven eparchy|
years=1977-1992|
after=?}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Bishop of Provat|
years=1997-2002|
after=?}}
{{end box}}
==Sources==
*[http://www.orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/hierarchs/bulgaria/obituaries/obit_antonii_bishop_provat.htm Bishop Antonii Dead at 87]
*[http://www.orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/hierarchs/bulgaria/bios/bio_antonii_bishop_provat.html Bishop Antonii of Provat]
[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:20th-21st-century bishops]]
[[Category:Bishops of Provat]]
