Bulgarian Bishop Ilarion Makariopolski of Constantinople declares…

Bulgarian Bishop Ilarion Makariopolski of Constantinople declares his diocese independent of the Greek patriarchate in 1860, because a decade of petitions, demonstrations, and Ottoman reform suggestions have brought no major change.

This action begins a movement for ecclesiastical independence that unites rural and urban Bulgarians and begins a bitter Greek-Bulgarian dispute.

The Turks and the Russians begin to mediate in 1866, seeking a compromise that will ensure the security of each in the face of increasing regional unrest.

In 1870 the Ottoman sultan officially declares the Bulgarian church a separate exarchate.

The Greek patriarchate, which never recognizes the separation, excommunicates the entire Bulgarian church; but the symbolism of the Ottoman decree has powerful political effect.

The new exarchate becomes the leading force in Bulgarian cultural life; it officially represents the Bulgarians in dealing with the Turks, and it sponsors Bulgarian schools.

The novel administrative system of the exarchate calls for lay representation in governing bodies, thus introducing a note of self-government into this most visible institution