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....