|
The Rhodope region falls within the Plovdiv diocese. It is populated by a minority named "Pomaks" (originating from a Bulgarian word for "martyr"). These people are Bulgarian-speaking, originally Christian Orthodox, but have been forcefully converted to Islam during the Ottoman imperial rule (14-19 century) in the Balkans. Eversince the Liberation from the Turkish dominion (1878) the Rhodope region has been among the poorest in Bulgaria and the Pomaks have lived in isolation. In recent years many of them have returned to Orthodox Christianity.
This time the conversion has not been forceful.
Fr. Saruev, a former police officer and of Pomak
origin himself, has taken the challenge of a new
mission among this people. For less than 10 years
he has baptized thousands of Pomaks in hundreds of
Pomak Muslim villages in the Rhodope. His
determination has made him one of the most popular
figures in Bulgarian public and churhc life. The
priest is the author of an autobiography enititled
"The Voice of One Crying in the
WIlderness" and runs a TV show on
Christianity. In Bulgarian political life, one of the most controversial party is the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, an ethnic Turkish party, recognized by the local Turkish (Islam) minority as a defender of their interests. Although constitutionally unsound (ethnic parties are not allowed by the Bulgarian Constitution), the MRF has become a strong political factor, balancing between the Socialist (former Communist) party and the changing right-wing democratic parties. Kurdjali, the main city in the Rhodope region, with the largest Turkish population has been governed by MRF for many years and has been perceieved as the stronghold of the Turks in Bulgaria. The candidacy of Fr. Saruev, respected by Bulgarians and Turks alike, for a mayor's office, posed a real threat to the status quo. The candidacy, however, could never become an election reality. The new Metropolitan of Plovdiv Nikolay (39) did not allow the priest to enter the election campaign. His motivation is based on church cannon law which forbids the priests from political activity. Although there have been many instances in the country's history where priests and even bishops have taken important political roles and positions, whenever it was necessary to stand for the nation's interest, the decision of the young metropolitan was final and Fr. Boyan Saruev has decided to comply with it. |
|||
