Overall 11 metropolitan bishops collaborated with the former State Security services

Overall 11 out of 15 members of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church’s governing body - the Holy Synod collaborated with the former State Security services, revealed yesterday on its Internet site the committee in charge of announcing the names of people who worked with the country's former secret services.

The committee’s review found that metropolitan bishops Galaktion of Stara Zagora, Dometian of Vidin, Ignatii of Pleven, Yoanikii of Sliven, Grigorii of Veliko Tarnovo, Neofit of Ruse, and Yosif of the United States, Canada and Australia had belonged to the secret services of the totalitarian regime.

The list included also the bishops Kallinik of Vratsa, the Varna Metropolitan Kiril, Nataniel Nevrokopski and Simeon of West and Central Europe.

Most of the senior clerics worked as agents for the Sixth Department of the State Security services in charge of "anti-political diversion." Some time ago, bishop Yosif announced his past collaboration with the secret services. Galaktion worked under the name “Misho”. He became famous with the granting of the title "Archon" to many people and with his participation in companies dealing with organ transplants. Dometian, for whom documents with written information have been preserved, acted under the pseudonym Dobrev. Ignatii was named Germanski and agent Penev. Yoanakii started reporting to the authorities in 1977 under the name Kirilievich. Gregory became agent in 1975 and was named Vanyo. Kallinikos started reporting in 1968 under the pseudonyms Rilski and Velko. The bishop of Varna and Veliko Tarnovo Kiril, who became famous with his new Lincoln car recently, was first recruited as a secret collaborator and then as an agent. Nataniel and Simeon also reported to the authorities and received money for doing so.

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