In Bulgaria, as an Orthodox country, the ecclesiastical heraldry is less represented. Heraldry in the church is connected mainly to the higher Catholic clergy, institutions and organizations. It is difficult to figure out which were the heraldic insignia of the Bulgarian bishops during the periods of Union with the Papacy, or did they even exist. The coat of arms of the Bulgarian Grigoriy Tzamblak, follower of the patriarch Evtimiy of Tarnovo, and, as archbishop of Kiev, participant in the Council of Konstanz (1414-18), is well known – it is shown in the Ulrich von Richental’s Chronicle. But the first coats of arms referred to by Bulgarian ecclesiastic heraldry are dated back to 17th c. These are the ones of the following bishops: Petar Bogdan Bakshev, Petar Parchevich, Ilia Marinov etc.

The different rank mitres and hats, crosiers and palliums are remarkable for the ecclesiastical emblazons.

Alike the Catholic tradition, the other Orthodox churches develop their own heraldry, but the only one eparchy in Bulgaria with its own emblem and flag is the Archbishopric of Varna and Veliki Preslav.

 
       
       

Grigoriy Tzamblak,

Archbishop of Kiev

Petar Parchevich,

Archbishop of Marcianopol

(1656-62, 1668-74)

Francesco Ferreri,

Bishop of Nikopol

(1805-13)

Bishop Hristo Proykov,

Apostolic Exarch of Sofia

       

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