Sofia, Sept 13 (BTA/GNA) – At 43.1 per cent, the Church has one of the highest approval ratings in Bulgaria, according to a Gallup International Balkans survey. Its disapproval rating is 35.8 per cent.
The survey was conducted among 802 respondents between August 1 and 9. The sample is representative of the population aged 18 or over.
Approval among the youngest respondents is low, the analysts said. The general view of the Church’s image is positive, although it is often damaged by public scandals related to some of the clergy. In such cases, popular approval drops significantly, the experts noted.
The Church and the Patriarch enjoy good levels of popularity as usual, according to the survey.
Patriarch Daniil, who was elected on June 30, has an approval rating of 30.6 per cent and a disapproval rating of 27 per cent. A public figure with a net approval rating is a rarity in Bulgaria, but this is to be expected from a religious leader, Gallup International Balkans said. Still, 22.6 per cent of respondents are hesitant and 19.8 per cent are not familiar or have not even heard of the personality of the Patriarch.
Three in four Bulgarians said they are Orthodox Christians but fewer than two in three said they believe in God. The percentage of declared believers in Bulgaria has not changed significantly in recent years.
The respondents split as follows: 75.3 per cent Orthodox Christians, 9.9 per cent Muslims and 11 per cent non-religious. The rest declared they belong to denominations with a smaller presence. Also, 59.5 per cent said they believe in God, whereas 27.5 per cent do not. The rest opted for “don’t know”. These findings are nearly identical to the previous survey of two years ago.
One in five (19.7 per cent) of respondents said they often attend church services.
GNA/BTA