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Bulgarian Diocese in Exile

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This diocese had its origins in the decision of Metropolitan Andrei (Petkov), then head of the [[Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Diocese of the USA, Canada and Australia]] (named at that time the ''Bulgarian Diocese of North and South America and Australia''), to regularize his relations with his [[Church of Bulgaria|mother church]], with whom he had broken relations after World War II and subsequently was elected to the rank of metropolitan.
In the late 1950's1950s, Andrei had petitioned to be accepted into the [[Orthodox Church in America|Russian Metropolia]] but had been rebuffed by them for unclear reasons, so in 1964, he petitioned and was approved by the [[Holy Synod]] of the [[Church of Bulgaria]] to be readmitted to the Bulgarian episcopacy and continue to lead Bulgarian Orthodoxy in America. One of his [[clergy]], [[Archimandrite]] [[Kyrill (Yonchev) of Pittsburgh|Kyrill (Yonchev)]], disagreed with his decision and was consecrated by the bishops of the [[ROCOR]] to serve as head of the Bulgarian Diocese in Exile. He had "considerable success in persuading several Bulgarian parishes to accept his authority, due in part to Metr. Andrei's advanced age" (Surrency, p. 95).
In 1976, Bp. Kyrill and his diocese broke from the ROCOR and joined the [[OCA]], thus creating its [[Bulgarian Diocese (OCA)|Bulgarian Diocese]].
==Sources== *Liberovsky, Alexis. [http://www.oca.org/DOC-AAC-05-synopsis.asp?SID=12 ''Synopsis of the 5th All-American Council'']*Surrency, Archim. Serafim. ''The Quest for Orthodox Church Unity in North America'', 1973
[[Category:Church History]]
[[Category:Jurisdictions]]
[[Category:ROCOR Dioceses]]
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