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Sat, May 26 2012
Bulgarian Orthodox priests outraged by Sozopol’s plan for 13m statue of Apollo
Statue of Apollo, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford.
Photo: Stuart Yeates
A decision by Sozopol municipality to erect a 13-metre statue of Apollo at the entrance to the Bulgarian Black Sea town’s seaport has outraged Bulgarian Orthodox Church leaders in Sliven, who say that the plan is an attempt to revive the cult of the pagan god and will cause "irreparable moral and spiritual damage" to the people of Sozopol.
It is believed that in ancient times, the seaside town had such a statue, in the days it was called Apollonia Pontica.
The Eparchial Council of Sliven called on Christians to oppose the construction.
Metropolitan Yoaniki of Sliven was quoted in Bulgarian-language media reports as saying that Sozopol had been Christian for more than 1000 years and current residents had nothing to do with the ancient pagan settlement of Apollonia Pontica.
"The comparison by the mayor of Sozopol, that such a statue will make Sozopol like Rio de Janeiro or Barcelona, is untenable because those cities have statues of Christ the Saviour, not some pagan god."
Sozopol’s plan is for the statue to be put at the entrance of the port nearby the island of St Kirik.
Costs are estimated at half a million leva, to be raised from an allocation in the 2011 municipal budget and from donations.
Sozopol municipality’s hope is to have the Apollo statue in place by summer.
In 2010, Sozopol made the news in connection with another religious issue – the purported discovery on an island near the town of relics that some claim to be of John the Baptist.
At the time of the discovery, then-cabinet minister Bozhidar Dimitrov said that the relics would make Sozopol a "second Jerusalem".
It is believed that in ancient times, the seaside town had such a statue, in the days it was called Apollonia Pontica.
The Eparchial Council of Sliven called on Christians to oppose the construction.
Metropolitan Yoaniki of Sliven was quoted in Bulgarian-language media reports as saying that Sozopol had been Christian for more than 1000 years and current residents had nothing to do with the ancient pagan settlement of Apollonia Pontica.
"The comparison by the mayor of Sozopol, that such a statue will make Sozopol like Rio de Janeiro or Barcelona, is untenable because those cities have statues of Christ the Saviour, not some pagan god."
Sozopol’s plan is for the statue to be put at the entrance of the port nearby the island of St Kirik.
Costs are estimated at half a million leva, to be raised from an allocation in the 2011 municipal budget and from donations.
Sozopol municipality’s hope is to have the Apollo statue in place by summer.
In 2010, Sozopol made the news in connection with another religious issue – the purported discovery on an island near the town of relics that some claim to be of John the Baptist.
At the time of the discovery, then-cabinet minister Bozhidar Dimitrov said that the relics would make Sozopol a "second Jerusalem".
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I think its a good idea, yes its to boost Tourism but is that a bad thing? This country needs income and tourism is one of the main contributors. Embrace it. If it helps boosts incomes in the long term by being a tourist attraction then this will also help locals & the municipality to then improve other things as their incomes increase. So its a one off cost to help income for the longer term, this is not a bad thing : )) Christian's being affronted, its not a return to Pananism, its not done to boost the cult [...]
Read the full comment of Apollo so just accept it for what it is, an attraction and an indication of the towns past!
@open mind No, you are wrong. The first Christians were jews who worshipped in local synagogues. That is a simple fact. Things like incense and sacraments are a direct inheritance from Christianities jewish roots. There is nothing Pagan about celebrating the birth of Christ and if the Church replaced some pagan holiday with celebrating the birth of Christ to make it easier for people to convert than so be it. I see nothing wrong with it. The kabba in Saudi Arabia was home to over 300 pagan idols before Muhammad.
It sounds like an attempt to get into the Guinness book of records for the entry on 'world's largest piece of kitsch'.
The Sozopol council no doubt thinks all it needs to do is spend a lot of money on one big landmark and that is their tourist reputation made.
They would do far better to think of what small steps could be taken to improve the overall environment. That is what the better resorts in Spain have done.
RE: reality
I apologize for saying 'Wake up', which sounded quite rude.
What's more, all of these 'faiths' claim the bible for their authority, yet have their own standard/pattern they follow; never mind the standard/pattern of the Christ and his apostles.
After all, Paul wrote the Ephesians letter as an essay on the church. But we are suckered into believing that all these religious bodies have authority and we should follow them, not what Paul wrote.
We are not idiots; we can 'study to show [ourselves] approved unto God, workmen that need not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth'. (Paul said that for everyone to [...]
Read the full comment do, not for these chosen ones with big hats and big titles.)
RE: Niko
You are wrong -- these sacraments, etc., including holidays, such as Christmas and Easter, are directly from paganism. The Catholic Church comprised themselves and adopted these in order to proselytize pagans.
RE: reality
Wake up and read again what I wrote. I was not defending Orthodoxy. I even said that I was against ALL denominations. If you read carefully, you'll discover that I was pointing out hypocricy and falsehood.
And one thinks the Catholic Church is out of touch. The Bulgarian Orthodox Church must not be watching Planeta. Or anything else Bulgarians do at the beach.
ONETHORN-
So, in the other article, you are defending orthodoxy, in this article you say "your icons" suggesting that you are not Orthodox.
You are quite right that there is a lot of synchretism in the Orthodox churches, but there is in many faiths when a new belief is introduced in a culture.
So... what do you believe in??
hmmm. Apollon is a part of the history. Is it meant to draw people? Foreigners or Bulgarians?
It seems that we could use the funds in better ways. Even the funds were designated for "culture" I am sure there are children who would benefit from free music lessons and teachers that would be thankful for work.
A statue of John the Baptist on one side, and Apollo 15 meters away on the other might be a nice combo and compromise, placed on the port side looking out to sea. Not at the town's entrance.
Onethorn, Saraments, incense etc. come from traditions at the Jewish temple. In paganism statues are worshipped, Icons are not worshipped.
Go Sozopol!
RE: Greek
Good point: [Orthodoxy] 'colliding once more with our pagan past'.
Where does the Orthodox chuch think they got their pagan traditions: incense, sacraments, etc.?
It would be more apropos to build a Pantheon, similar to the one in Rome.
he he it is interesting to see our old Greek city port Sozopolis (means in Greek Saviour city) wanting to honour our ancient old gods. It is even more interesting also to see our medieval culture and religion(the Orthodox church and Orthodox Christianity) colliding once more with our pagan past. And all this in another country and people who finally are not quite far and different than what we are.
the Bulgarian Orthodox Church must be joking...moral and spiritual damage to the population of Sozopol because of a statue...what about the open sex scenes, naked people on beaches, rampant prostitution and other obscene acts that happen throughout the summer months in this supposedly sea report!
So what's the difference between all your icons and a statue of Apollo?
Insha'Allah