Pavlikeni

 

Movements and defenders of freedom of  freedom

of religion and consciousness

 

Exarch Stefan І is a superioir Bulgarian clergyman.He was a Bulgarian Exarch from 1945-1948.He was born on 7^th September 1878 in a village Shiroka Luka near Smolian.His father George Shopov was a priest.In 1893 he graduated the school of theology in Samokov and in1904 he graduated the Academy of Theology in Kiev.Thanks to him in 1945 the sclums of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church was taken up.The schism was put on by the Constantinopol Partriarchate in 1872 during the war Othoman rule.This event allowed the Bulgarian Orthodox Church to be recognized as independent one.After that Exarch Stefan became the first chairman of the Bulgarian Independent Orthodox Church.

In 1943 he took a major part in saving 50 000 Bulgarian Jews from deportation to the concentration camps.For this he was declared as a Just Man by the Israeli.Memorial Institute (Yash Vashem).His name is put forever on the honorary wall in the pios alley in Jerusalem.

In the period of the two World Wara he took part in different church movements and he represented the Bulgarian Orthodox Church in many international meetings.He kept contacts with political and church groups of people in Europe.He worked in the fields of bringing together all religions.He proclaimed the idea to love the God , to serve him with soul and truth , to be open-hearted to each other.

On 24^th of November 1948 he was taken in village Baniya under police escort.He was banned to go out of the village and to take part in any church activities.He lived in isolation until his death – on 14^th May 1957.

 

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