THE CHURCHES “SFÂNTUL PANTELIMON” IN GALAȚI AND “SFÂNTUL PROOROC ILIE” IN BUCHAREST IN THE RELATIONS BETWEEN THE BULGARIAN AND THE ROMANIAN ORTHODOX CHURCHES.

During the Period of Socialism (1944–1989) between the Bulgarian and Romanian Orthodox Churches, two key issues were to be resolved: the establishment of the legal status of Bulgarian Church “Sfântul Pantelimon” in Galați and the provision (until construction) of a church for the Bulgarian community in Bucharest, after the confiscation of the Bulgarian School building and the “St. st. Cyril and Methodius” Church as a result of the new Law on Cults adopted in 1948 by the Romanian state. Finding solutions to these questions depends on the ongoing domestic and foreign political changes in Bulgaria and Romania, which have a direct impact on the relations between the Orthodox Churches. Despite numerous meetings and conversations, both at church and state level, the “Sfântul Pantelimon” Church was taken away from the Bulgarian community and Bulgarian orthodox church, and “Sfântul Prooroc Ilie” Church provided for the temporary use of the Bulgarian inhabitants in Bucharest was also taken away in 2009. In this way, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church is left without its representative church in Romania, and the Bulgarians in Romanian capital without their own house of prayer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]