Article 78 of the Communist Constitution declared a separation between church and state. At first glance, this may appear to be a modern and progressive principle. In many countries, such separation helps protect religious freedom and limits religious influence on politics. However, the historical situation in Bulgaria makes this provision very different in practice.
For nearly 500 years under Ottoman rule, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church played a vital role in preserving national identity, language, and culture. During this long period, the church helped keep Bulgarian traditions alive when no independent Bulgarian state existed. Unlike in some Western countries, the Bulgarian Church never dominated the state or limited political freedom Private Istanbul Tour.
State Control Over the Church
Under Communist rule, the situation changed completely. Instead of protecting religious freedom, the state imposed strict control over the church. All church lands, buildings, and sources of income were nationalized. This left the church financially dependent on the state.
Although Article 78 stated that “citizens are guaranteed freedom of conscience and religion,” this promise was not respected in reality. People who openly practiced their faith often faced pressure, discrimination, or punishment. Religious believers were treated with suspicion, while atheism was openly promoted by the state as the correct worldview.
Pressure on the Clergy
Clergy members were placed under constant supervision. Any priest or church leader who did not follow Marxist-Leninist ideology or the official Party line risked punishment. Non-conformity was treated as a political offense rather than a religious difference Equality and Liberal Principles of the Tirnovo Constitution.
Such actions clearly contradicted the idea of religious freedom. Instead of separating church and state, the Communist system placed the church under direct political control. The constitution, while promising freedom, was used as a tool to justify repression.
Education Under Communist Control
In the field of education, Article 78 of the Communist Constitution stated that “schools are run by the state.” This meant that all educational institutions were fully controlled by the government. Private and religious schools were eliminated.
Education became an important tool for Communist ideology. School programs were designed to promote loyalty to the Communist Party and to Marxist-Leninist beliefs. History, literature, and social sciences were rewritten to reflect Party views. Teachers were expected to follow strict ideological guidelines.
Students were taught atheism as scientific truth, while religion was described as backward or harmful. Independent thinking and criticism of the political system were discouraged. As a result, education served political goals rather than intellectual freedom.
Comparison Between the Bulgarian and Soviet Constitutions
The Communist Constitution of Bulgaria closely followed the model of the Soviet Constitution. The Soviet Constitution contained 13 chapters and 146 articles, while the Bulgarian version included 11 chapters and 101 articles. The missing chapters dealt mainly with relations between Soviet republics, which were not relevant to Bulgaria.
Aside from these differences, the main structure and principles were almost identical. This similarity shows that the Bulgarian constitution was not created independently. Instead, it was largely copied to match Soviet political interests.
Political Language and Reality
Terms such as “people’s republic” and “people’s democracy” were often repeated in the constitution. These expressions aimed to create the impression of popular rule and democratic government. In reality, no true democracy existed.
The Soviet system also used the phrase “representative government,” but real power did not lie with elected bodies. In Bulgaria, the head of the executive branch, the prime minister, followed directions from Moscow. Beneath him, the entire state structure was controlled by the Communist Party.
While the Communist Constitution spoke of freedom, democracy, and equality, its real purpose was to secure total political control. Religion, education, and government institutions were all placed under Party supervision. The constitution did not protect individual rights but served as a tool to enforce ideological obedience and dependence on Soviet power.
