COMMENTARY: Orthodox Hierarchy Needs to Assist Unpaid Bulgarian Priests

On December 13, 2010, the Novinite (Bulgarian) website reported that several Bulgarian priests and church employees decided to join a trade union -- something heretofore unheard of for clergy.

They joined the trade union because they were not paid and they did not receive statutory entitlements. This clergy union comes under the National Labor Confederation of "Podkrepa" (Support).

Late last month, the clergy from the northern Vratsa Eparchy voiced outrage against the Bulgarian Holy Synod over not receiving salary and benefits. The bank accounts of the Eparchy have been frozen due to staggering debt.

In some eparchies, priests receive less money than the minimum wage allows for in Bulgaria.

Church employee Hristo Latinov -- named as head of the clergy union -- said that it is "unacceptable, immoral, and scandalous" that priests are classified in the same labor law category as gravediggers and people with no college education. The clergy union is comprised of priests, sextons, administrative staff, and employees who manufacture candles.

The decision of Bulgarian priests to join a trade union has angered several church hierarchs who contend that a union of priests violates the church's internal canon law. These hierarchs believe that it is absurd for priests to join a union.

Incredible as it may seem, some Bulgarian priests have actually been "paid" in candles. This has resulted in one unnamed priest saying, "I cannot eat candles."

Unfortunately, this is a sad situation for many clergy in Bulgaria. Certainly, it is demeaning for a priest to have to join a trade union because he is paid so little -- or not paid at all.

Does this mean that Bulgarian priests could go on strike, in order to receive the salary to which they are entitled? They could go on strike, but doing so is very unlikely, since a strike -- especially a strike by priests -- is a violation of Christian principles and ideals.

Nonetheless, we cannot blame the unpaid or underpaid Bulgarian priests for joining a trade union. After all, these priests must provide food and other living necessities for themselves and their families.

Perhaps the Patriarch of Bulgaria or the Patriarch of Constantinople can assist these priests in receiving the compensation to which they are entitled.

Indeed, this is a sad situation and a stigma -- not only for the Bulgarian Orthodox Church but also for the Eastern Orthodox Church in general -- and it really needs to be addressed and resolved quickly at the highest administrative level of the Eastern Orthodox Church.