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His Eminence '''Arseny (Chekandrakov)''' is the [[Metropolitan]] of Plovdiv under the [[jurisdiction]] of the [[Church of Bulgaria]], a position he has held since 1987.
==Life==
Angel Blagoev Chekandrakov was born on [[July 29]], 1932, in the village of Dylgo Pole in Plovdiv Province, Bulgaria. After completing his early education Angel entered the Plovdiv Theological [[Seminary]], graduating in 1951. He then enrolled in the Sofia Theological Academy in Sofia, Bulgaria. After his graduation, he was appointed an assistant to the librarian of the Rila [[Monastery]] in 1955.
On [[June 2]], 1956, Angel was [[tonsure]]d a [[monk]] with the name Arseny. A week later, on [[June 10]], 1956, he was [[ordination|ordained]] a [[hierodeacon]]. In 1956, Dcn. Arseny enrolled as a graduate student in the [[Moscow Theological Academy and Seminary|Moscow Theological Academy]]. On [[October 18]], 1958, he was ordained a [[hieromonk]] by [[Patriarch]] [[Alexei I (Simansky) of Moscow|Alexei I]] of Moscow. After his graduation from the Moscow Academy, Father Arseny returned to Bulgaria, and became a member of Rila Monastery. On [[July 23]], 1961, Fr. Arseny was elevated to the dignity of [[archimandrite]] and began teaching on [[September 1]], 1961 at the Theological Seminary in Cherepish, a position he held until [[April 1]], 1968. On [[January 1]], 1968, Archim. Arseny was appointed the [[protosyngellos]] of [[Eparchy]] of Vratsa while concurrently serving as a specialist at the Theological Faculty of Humboldt University in Berlin, Germany.
On [[March 30]], 1969, Archim. Arseny was [[consecration of a bishop|consecrated]] the [[Bishop]] of Stobilsk, [[vicar]] of the Eparchy of Vratsa. On [[July 21]], 1974, Bishop Arseny was elected Metropolitan of Vratsa. However, under pressure from the Communist authorities, the [[Holy Synod]] annulled his election and appointed Bp. Arseny [[igumen]] of Troyan Monastery, secretary of the Synod, and vicar of the Eparchy of Plovdiv. On [[February 1]], 1987, Bp. Arseny was elected Metropolitan of Plovdiv.
{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Bishop of Stobilsk<br>Vicar Eparchy of Vratsa|
years=1969 - 1974|
after=?}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Bishop of Stobilsk<br>Vicar Eparchy of Plovdiv|
years=1974 - 1987|
after=?}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Metropolitan of Plovdiv|
years=1987 - present|
after=—}}
{{end box}}
==Source==
*[http://www.orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/hierarchs/bulgaria/bios/bio_arsenii_metr_plovdiv.htm ORI: Metropolitan Arsenii of Plovdiv]
[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:20th-21st-century bishops]]
[[Category:Bishops of Stobilsk]]
[[Category:Bishops of Plovdiv]]
==Life==
Angel Blagoev Chekandrakov was born on [[July 29]], 1932, in the village of Dylgo Pole in Plovdiv Province, Bulgaria. After completing his early education Angel entered the Plovdiv Theological [[Seminary]], graduating in 1951. He then enrolled in the Sofia Theological Academy in Sofia, Bulgaria. After his graduation, he was appointed an assistant to the librarian of the Rila [[Monastery]] in 1955.
On [[June 2]], 1956, Angel was [[tonsure]]d a [[monk]] with the name Arseny. A week later, on [[June 10]], 1956, he was [[ordination|ordained]] a [[hierodeacon]]. In 1956, Dcn. Arseny enrolled as a graduate student in the [[Moscow Theological Academy and Seminary|Moscow Theological Academy]]. On [[October 18]], 1958, he was ordained a [[hieromonk]] by [[Patriarch]] [[Alexei I (Simansky) of Moscow|Alexei I]] of Moscow. After his graduation from the Moscow Academy, Father Arseny returned to Bulgaria, and became a member of Rila Monastery. On [[July 23]], 1961, Fr. Arseny was elevated to the dignity of [[archimandrite]] and began teaching on [[September 1]], 1961 at the Theological Seminary in Cherepish, a position he held until [[April 1]], 1968. On [[January 1]], 1968, Archim. Arseny was appointed the [[protosyngellos]] of [[Eparchy]] of Vratsa while concurrently serving as a specialist at the Theological Faculty of Humboldt University in Berlin, Germany.
On [[March 30]], 1969, Archim. Arseny was [[consecration of a bishop|consecrated]] the [[Bishop]] of Stobilsk, [[vicar]] of the Eparchy of Vratsa. On [[July 21]], 1974, Bishop Arseny was elected Metropolitan of Vratsa. However, under pressure from the Communist authorities, the [[Holy Synod]] annulled his election and appointed Bp. Arseny [[igumen]] of Troyan Monastery, secretary of the Synod, and vicar of the Eparchy of Plovdiv. On [[February 1]], 1987, Bp. Arseny was elected Metropolitan of Plovdiv.
{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Bishop of Stobilsk<br>Vicar Eparchy of Vratsa|
years=1969 - 1974|
after=?}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Bishop of Stobilsk<br>Vicar Eparchy of Plovdiv|
years=1974 - 1987|
after=?}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Metropolitan of Plovdiv|
years=1987 - present|
after=—}}
{{end box}}
==Source==
*[http://www.orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/hierarchs/bulgaria/bios/bio_arsenii_metr_plovdiv.htm ORI: Metropolitan Arsenii of Plovdiv]
[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:20th-21st-century bishops]]
[[Category:Bishops of Stobilsk]]
[[Category:Bishops of Plovdiv]]
