Bulgaria's Orthodox Church elected, on Sunday, Metropolitan Daniil as its new leader following the passing of Patriarch Neophyte in March at the age of 78.

Known for his perceived pro-Russian stance in a church historically aligned closely with Moscow, Metropolitan Daniil, aged 52, garnered the support of 69 out of 138 delegates present at the church council, as announced by the Saint Synod.

In a runoff election, Metropolitan Daniil, aged 52, emerged victorious over Hryhoriy, aged 50, who was supported by 66 delegates and is perceived by experts as more neutral toward the Kremlin. The announcement of Daniil's election was heralded by the ringing bells of the grand Alexander Nevski Cathedral, with a church procession scheduled ahead of his enthronement later on Sunday.

The position of Bulgarian patriarch is typically held for life unless the patriarch decides to step down voluntarily. Daniil takes over from the charismatic Patriarch Neophyte, who passed away in March after leading the church for more than a decade.

It is worth noting that the Bulgarian Orthodox Church represents over two-thirds of the population. 

The Pro-Russian Patriarch

Daniil drew attention for his support of the Kremlin in a lengthy video message released in 2023, as analysts pointed out. He strongly condemned the expulsion in September 2023 of the Russian Church's head in Sofia and two Belarusian priests.

Born as Atanas Trendafilov Nikolov, Daniil began his academic journey studying English philology at Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski in 1996, later switching to theology during his second year.

In 1999, Daniil entered into holy orders and completed his theology studies in 2002. From 2011 to 2018, he held the position of vicar under Metropolitan Joseph, overseeing the Orthodox communities in the United States, Canada, and Australia. In 2018, he was elected as the metropolitan of Vidin in northwestern Bulgaria.

In November 2022, following the war in Ukraine, Daniil issued directives to his clergy, criticizing a trend of "spreading animosity towards one of the warring parties singled out as the sole aggressor without provocation."

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