Bulgarian Exarchate established by Ottoman decree
- When
- 1870–1872
- Where
- Constantinople
- Episodes
- 4
The Bulgarian Exarchate was established by an Ottoman firman issued by Sultan Abdülaziz on 28 February 1870, granting autonomy to Bulgarian Orthodox dioceses. This decree aimed to calm disturbances caused by Bulgarian nationalist actions against the Greek Patriarchate, creating a de facto autocephaly that was later condemned as schismatic.
Episodes
- Firman of 1870
Sultan Abdülaziz issued a firman on 28 February 1870, granting autonomy to Bulgarian Orthodox dioceses to calm nationalist disturbances.
- Meeting of Bulgarian Leaders
Bulgarian leaders convened in Constantinople on 13 March 1870 to elect civil members of the Temporary church council.
- Declaration of Autocephaly
Antim I declared the Bulgarian Church autocephalous in May 1872, without the Ecumenical Patriarch's blessing.
- Condemnation as Schismatic
The Ecumenical Patriarchate condemned the Exarchate as schismatic in September 1872, excommunicating its adherents.
Background and detail
Background. The Ottoman Empire identified nationality with confession, placing ethnic Bulgarians in the Rūm millet under the Ecumenical Patriarch. Bulgarian religious leaders sought autonomy from this structure, leading to conflicts with the Greek Patriarchate. The Ottoman government responded to these disturbances by granting the right to establish an autonomous Bulgarian Exarchate.
Establishment. Sultan Abdülaziz issued a firman on 28 February 1870, granting the right to establish an autonomous Bulgarian Exarchate for dioceses where two-thirds of Orthodox Christians agreed to join. This decree was a direct result of actions by Bulgarian nationalists against the Greek Patriarchate, aiming to calm disturbances.
Aftermath. The Exarchate was unilaterally decreed as autocephalous in 1872 without the Ecumenical Patriarch's blessing. The Patriarchate condemned this as schismatic in September 1872, declaring adherents excommunicated. Despite this, Bulgarian leaders continued to extend the Exarchate's borders through plebiscites in contested areas.
People involved
- Abdülaziz · Sultan of the Ottoman Empire
- Dragan Tsankov · Leader of Bulgarian nationalists
- Gavril Krastevich · Chair of Bulgarian leaders meeting
- Antim I · First Bulgarian Exarch
Sources
- Bulgarian Exarchate Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-16
- Abdulaziz Wikipedia, revision of 2026-10-03
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.