Bulgarian Exarchate, The 1870-1912

The Bulgarian Exarchate (1870 - 1912)

was established on February 28, 1870 in Constantinople, Turkey and ended on 1912, when Greece, Serbia and Romania expanded territories of neighbors cost.

This map represents the boundaries of the Bulgarian Exarchate. The quarrel about the establishment of the Bulgarian National-Church lasted 40 years; it began 1830 and found an end on the 28th of February 1870 (ancient style) by a Turkish Ferman

Sultan’s Ferman for the establishment of the Bulgarian Exarchate.

which establish the Bulgarian Exarchate at Constantinople. - At first the Bulgarian people demanded the right of electing themselves their own bishops, who should have to belong to the Bulgarian nationality too. The first towns to declare such desire were Uscub (Skopje) and Samokov (in the year 1833). But the Greek Patriarchate was decidedly opposed to it and the controversy took two new forms: the demand of the Bulgarian Bishops was increased with the desire for religious service of their own and schools of their own, the Greek Bishops in the Bulgarian Eparchies were openly and violently persecuted. This happened in many towns of Bulgaria, Thracia and Macedonia. The Ferman of the Sultan relating to the establishment of the Bulgarian Exarchate, expressly denominated in the first paragraph of the 10-th article as Bulgarian the following Eparchies: Rustschuk, Silistra, Varna, Schumen, Tirnovo, Lovetsch, Vratza, Vidin, Sofia, Kiustendil, Samokov, Nisch, Pirot and Veless; the second paragraph of the same article decides that other Eparchies too should be allowed to acknowledge the Exarchie if at least 2/3 of their Christian inhabitants should demand this. According to this second paragraph of the Ferman a "people's-vote" was made by the Turkish authorities under control of the Greek Patriarchate. This „people's-vote" proved that the largest part of Macedonia wanted to acknowledge the Bulgarian Exarchate, whereupon bishops were appointed for Uscub, Ochrida and Monastir; (for Veless, expressly named in the Ferman, such appointment had already taken place). But soon after this occurred the Bulgarian insurrections of 1875-76, which were followed by the Russo-Turkish war, which events exposed the Bulgarians in the eyes of the Turks. Unfortunately the „people's-vote" could not be completed in the southern part of Macedonia and, where it was completed, Bulgarian Bishops were not appointed in all of these Eparchies; and where such had tried to go, they were thence driven away by the authorities. The attempts made 1884/1885 to send Bulgarian Bishops in Macedonia failed on account of the protest of the Greek Patriarchate, of Serbia and of Greece. Soon after came the union of the two Bulgarias which newly compromised the Bulgarians in the eyes of the Turks. Only in the year 1890, new Bulgarian Bishops were appointed at Uscub and at Ochrida; in the year 1894 bishops came to Veless and Nevrokop, and 1897 to Monastir, Debar and Strumitza. The other Eparchies never had any Bulgarian Bishops. The Turkish Government only allowed the Bulgarian clergy of these Eparchies to represent the Bulgarians before the local authorities and to manage their own school-matters.

The white-hatched places on the map denote those Eparchies that did not get Bulgarian Bishops.

Das bulgarische Exarchat (1870 - 1912)

Diese Landkarte stellt die Grenzen des Bulgarischen Exarchats dar. Der Streit um die Errichtung der bulgarischen Nationalkirche dauerte 40 Jahre lang. Er begann im Jahre 1830 und endete am 28. Februar 1870, als ein türkischer Ferman das Bulgarische Exarchat in Konstantinopel errichtete. Zuerst verlangte das bulgarische Volk, selbst seine Bischöfe wählen zu dürfen, die auch der bulgarischen Nationalität angehören sollten. Die ersten Städte, die einen derartigen Wunsch aussprachen, waren: Uscub (Skopje) und Samokov (im Jahre 1833). Aber das griechische Patriarchat widersetzte sich dem entschieden; und der Kampf nahm zwei neue Formen an: Die Forderung bulgarischer Bischöfe wurde mit dem Wunsch nach eigenem Gottesdienst und eigenen Schulen erweitert; die griechischen Bischöfe in den bulgarischen Eparchien wurden offen und mit Gewalt verdrängt und verjagt. So geschah es in vielen Städten Bulgariens, Thraziens und Mazedoniens.

Der Ferman des Sultans, der die Errichtung des Bulgarischen Exarchats zum Gegenstande hatte, nannte ausdrücklich in dem ersten Absatz des Art. 10 als bulgarische Eparchien die folgenden:

Rustschuk, Silistra,Varna, Schumen.Tirnovo, Lovetsch,Vratza,Vidin, Sofia, Kiustendil, Samokov, Nisch, Pirot und Veless; der zweite Absatz desselben Artikels bestimmte, daß es gestattet sei, auch anderen Eparchien das Exarchat anzuerkennen, wenn wenigstens 2/3 ihrer christlichen Bewohner dies verlangten. Gemäß diesem zweiten Absatz des Fermans wurde in Mazedonien eine Volksabstimmung von den türkischen Behörden unter der Kontrolle des griechischen Patriarchats veranstaltet. Diese Volksabstimmung ergab, daß der größte Teil Mazedoniens das Bulgarische Exarchat anzuerkennen wünschte. Auf Grund derselben wurden in Uscub, Ochrida und Bitolia (Monastir) bulgarische Bischöfe ernannt (in Veieß, ausdrücklich in dem Ferman erwähnt, war bereits ein solcher eingesetzt).

Aber bald darauf fanden die bulgarischen Ausstände von 1875 und 1876 statt; denen der russisch-türkische Krieg folgte. Alle diese Ereignisse stellten die Bulgaren vor den Augen der Türkei bloß. Denselben ist es zu verdanken, daß die Volksabstimmung in dem südlichen Teil Mazedoniens nicht vollendet werden konnte, und dort, wo sie vollendet war, keineswegs überall bulgarische Bischöfe zugelassen wurden; aus den Eparchien, wo solche sich niedergelassen hatten, wurden sie von den Behörden verjagt. Die in den Jahren 1884/1885 gemachten Versuche, nach Mazedonien bulgarische Bischöfe zu senden, sind den Protesten des griechischen Patriarchats, Griechenlands und Serbiens mißlungen. Bald darauf kam auch die Vereinigung der beiden Bulgarien, was von neuem die Bulgaren vor der Türkei kompromittierte. Kaum im Jahre 1890 wurden neue bulgarische Bischöfe in Uscub und Ochrida zugelassen; im Jahre 1894 kamen solche nach Veieß und Nevrokop, und im Jahre 1897 In Monastir, Debar und Strumitza. Die übrigen Eparchien kamen überhaupt nicht dazu, bulgarische Bischöfe zu sehen. Die türkische Regierung gestattete nur, daß die bulgarischen geistlichen Oberhäupter dieser Eparchien die Bulgaren vor den lokalen Behörden vertreten dürften und ihr Unterrichtswesen verwalteten. Die in den Karten weiß schraffierten Ortschaften stellen gerade die Eparchien dar, die nicht dazu gekommen waren, bulgarische Bischöfe zu sehen.

Branko Crvenkovski is the moral killer of President Trajkovski and independent Macedonia

Under the Leadership of Branko Crvenkovski Macedonia turn to Belgrade's Colony

Branko Crvenkovski is the worse choice for Macedonian President

Greece continues to be one of the few countries within the European Union (EU) that has consistently brought criminal defamation suits against journalists.

UN violate the Charter admitting Macedonia to United Nations

Greece admitted the wrong policy towards Macedonians. First step in the right direction. 60,000 Ethnic Macedonian refugees to return home to Greece after more than 55 years. Greece promise to return possession and to compensate the Macedonians. This prove that Macedonia is not Greek and Greece should end the unjust Occupation of Macedonia.

Macedonia and Bulgaria selebrating 100 years Ilinden Uprising together. A remarkable development in the bilateral relations.

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
Greece: Misconduct in the shadow of impunity

Greece - Greece continues to be one of the few countries within the European Union (EU) that has consistently brought criminal defamation suits against journalists.

Texas Observer 2/28/2003 - Bad Bills: Historians write about whether the ancient Macedonians were Hellenic. According to Loring Danforth "The evidence says no." Seems that the consensus among scholars is the exact opposite of what is stated in Bonnen’s resolution. " Behind it all is an attempt to deny a group of people the right to identify themselves as they wish." Apparently, the dispute is not just between Greece and the Republic of Macedonia. A minority of non-Greek Slavs within Northern Greece also identify themselves as Macedonian and have suffered human rights abuses for their refusal to assimilate into Greek culture. So not only does HR 107 contain highly questionable facts, its lousy foreign policy. In Prof. Danforth’s words: "It’s a bad bill because it is bad history, bad diplomacy, and bad human rights!"

After two years of intense negotiations, Greece stood on the verge of fulfilling the Megali Idea. The 1919 Treaty of Neuilly had awarded Bulgarian territory in western Thrace and Macedonia to Greece.

Greece Violate Human Rights in Macedonia in Greek Language