Priests Protest in Sofia

Priests from the dissident clergy headed by Metropolitan Inokentii served a mass in font of the Saint Sofia church in Bulgaria's capital.

The holy men protest against yesterday's controversial police raids to restore proprietorship of official Bulgarian Orthodox Church.

Later on Thursday representatives of the dissident clergy headed by Metropolitan Inokentii met with MPs from all Parliamentary Groups except for the Bulgarian socialists. The holy men urged for the resignation of Bulgaria's Chief Prosecutor Nikola Filchev.

Police stormed through 250 churches countrywide and detained many priests Wednesday.

The problem following the schism of Bulgarian Church has established two Orthodox community centres, one headed by Patriarch Maxim and the other claiming he had been "appointed" by ex-communist regime.