The Church Among Top Trusted Institutions in the Country, But Fewer Bulgarians Declare Belief in God

Three-quarters of Bulgarians identify as Orthodox, but less than two-thirds express belief in God. This disparity between identifying as Orthodox and believing in God stems from the fact that the Bulgarian Orthodox Church is viewed not only as a religious body but also as a historical institution intertwined with Bulgarian society and statehood, contributing to the national identity.

Faith levels have remained stable in recent years, with the Church and the Patriarch enjoying favorable popularity. Around 20% of respondents say they regularly attend religious services, according to a survey by Gallup International Balkan.

Trust in the Church is currently at 43.1%, with 35.8% expressing distrust, placing it among the most approved institutions in Bulgaria. However, trust is lower among younger generations. Gallup's long-term data show that while overall trust in the Church is positive, scandals involving clergy have led to significant dips in its popularity.

The survey found that 75.3% of respondents identify as Orthodox, 9.9% as Muslim, and 11% as non-religious. In terms of belief in God, 59.5% say they believe, while 27.5% do not, with the remainder undecided.

These figures closely mirror those from two years ago, reinforcing the notion that Orthodox affiliation in Bulgaria is often seen more as an identity marker than purely a matter of faith. Previous studies have shown that belief in a higher power is often broader than formal religious affiliation, a trend consistent with global patterns.

The new Bulgarian Patriarch Daniil enjoys a positive approval rating of 30.6%, with distrust at 27%, giving him a strong initial position. However, 22.6% of respondents are uncertain about him, and 19.8% are unfamiliar with his persona.

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