Roman Catholicism in Bulgaria

Quick Facts: Who was Roman Catholicism in Bulgaria?

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Roman Catholicism in Bulgaria

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The history of Catholicism in Bulgaria, tracing roots from the Middle Ages to modern revival.

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The Catholic Church is the fourth largest religious congregation in Bulgaria, after Eastern Orthodoxy, Islam and Protestantism. Its roots in the country date to the Middle Ages and are part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope in Rome. In the country's 2021 census, 0.7% of the population (approximately 39,000 people) stated that they were Catholic. This compared to 53,074 in 1992; 43,811 in 2001; 48,945 in 2011; and 38,709 in 2021. The vast majority of the Catholics in Bulgaria in 2001 were ethnic Bulgarians and the rest belonged to a number of other ethnic groups such as Croatians, Italians, Arabs and Germans.

Career & Major Achievements

Bulgarian Catholics live predominantly in the regions of Svishtov and Plovdiv and are mostly descendants of the heretical Christian sect of the Paulicians, which converted to Catholicism in the 16th and 17th centuries. The largest Catholic Bulgarian town is Rakovski in Plovdiv Province. Ethnic Bulgarian Catholics known as the Banat Bulgarians also inhabit the Central European region of the Banat. Their number is unofficially estimated at 12,000, with 6,500 Banat Bulgarians in the Romanian part of the region. Bulgarian Catholics are descendants of three groups.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The first were converted Paulicians from the course of the Osam river (between Stara Planina and the Danube); those in and around Plovdiv are the second (and largest) group; while the third (and most limited) one is formed by more recent Eastern Orthodox converts. In 2011, most Catholics lived in the province of Plovdiv (19,502 Catholics), followed by the city of Sofia (5,572 Catholics) and the provinces of Pleven (5,164 Catholics) and Veliko Tarnovo (3,276 Catholics). Although the presence of Catholicism existed during the reign of Roman Empire in Balkan Peninsula, Catholic missionaries first tried to convert the Bulgarians during the reign of Tsar Boris I in the middle of the 9th century. They were unsuccessful, and Boris I led the Bulgarians in their conversion to Eastern Christianity. In 1204 the Bulgarian Tsar Kaloyan (1197–1207) formed a short-lived union between the Catholic Church and the Bulgarian Orthodox Church as a political tactic to balance the religious power of the Byzantine Empire.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1204: 1204 Milestone — In 1204 the Bulgarian Tsar Kaloyan (1197–1207) formed a short-lived union between the Catholic Church and the Bulgarian Orthodox Church as a political tactic to balance the religious power of the Byzantine Empire.
2. 1992: 1992 Milestone — This compared to 53,074 in 1992; 43,811 in 2001; 48,945 in 2011; and 38,709 in 2021.
3. 2001: 2001 Milestone — The vast majority of the Catholics in Bulgaria in 2001 were ethnic Bulgarians and the rest belonged to a number of other ethnic groups such as Croatians, Italians, Arabs and Germans.
4. 2011: 2011 Milestone — In 2011, most Catholics lived in the province of Plovdiv (19,502 Catholics), followed by the city of Sofia (5,572 Catholics) and the provinces of Pleven (5,164 Catholics) and Veliko Tarnovo (3,276 Catholics).

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Roman Catholicism in Bulgaria

True or False: “Catholic missionaries were immediately successful in converting the Bulgarians during Tsar Boris I's reign in the 9th century.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): The initial attempts by Catholic missionaries to convert the Bulgarians during Tsar Boris I's reign were unsuccessful; he subsequently led them toward Eastern Christianity.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Roman Catholicism in Bulgaria