Vote for Bulgarian Nevrokop Metropolitan Held amidst Turmoil

Bulgaria's Nevrokop eparchy is located in the southwestern town of Gotse Delchev, file photo

Bulgarian clergy and laity are electing Sunday their nominee to become Metropolitan of Nevrokop.

Nevrokop Metropolitan Natanail passed away on November 16, 2013, leaving the post vacant and in turmoil prompting a number of priests to ask for a postponement of the vote.

Vidin Metropolitan Dometian is temporarily in charge of the Nevrokop eparchy, located in the southwestern town of Gotse Delchev, however, clergy and laity have accused him of firing priests without any other grounds, but to influence the vote, and doing so behind the backs of the Holy Synod and Patriarch Neofit.

Neofit has already urged Dometian to work on calming down the situation.

Ten bishops are running after Bachkovo Monastery Abbot Boris and little-known bishop Ignatius were removed from the list. In November, they were elected finalists to lead the Varna eparchy, but the Holy Synod annulled the vote amidst outrage it has been rigged.

30 people are voting on Sunday; those who gather more than half of the votes will be finalists. On January 19, the Holy Synod, if it deems the Sunday vote canonic, is going to elect the Nevrokop Metropolitan between the two finalists.