Ambrosius of Dorostol

Ambrose of Dorostol (9 June 1942 – 18 August 2020) born Alexander Alexandrov Parashkevov , was a Bulgarian Orthodox clergyman, being the Bishop of Branitsa from 1998 to 2010 and Metropolitan of Dorostol from 2010 to his death in 2020. He was a member of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.

Biography He was born Alexander Alexandrov Parashkevov on 9 June 1942 in the town of Svishtov. He graduated from high school in his hometown and the University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy in Sofia. In 1983 he entered the St. Kliment Ohridski Theological Academy, which he graduated from in 1987. He was tonsured a monk on 13 August 1983 in the Klisurski Monastery, under the name Ambrose by Metropolitan Filaret of Vidin . He was ordained a hierodeaconon in Chiprovtsi Monastery on 19 October 1983 by Metropolitan Filaret. From 1 November 1983 to 1 December 1984 he served as a diocesan deacon at the Vidin diocese. On 15 August 1984 he was ordained a hieromonk in the Klisura Monastery. From 1 December 1984 to 3 February 1988 he served at the Klisura Monastery, while taking care of the liturgical needs in various parishes of the Berkovitsa Archdiocese. On June 29, 1989, Metropolitan Dometian Vidinski elevated him to the rank of Archimandrite. From 3 February 1988 to 1 April 1994 he was abbot of the Lopushna Monastery.

In 1992 there was a schism in the Bulgarian Orthodox Church between the mainstream synod and the alternative synod. In 1994 Ambrose joined the Alternative Synod and was ordained a bishop on 3 April 1994 in the Chekotina Monastery by the leader of the schismatic church Metropolitan Pimen Nevrokopski. Ambrose was subsequently appointed Metropolitan for the Alternative Synod church. He established his seat in Berkovitsa, as the Bulgarian Orthodox clergy of Vidin would not allow him to come back into the city. On January 24, he was canonically confirmed and on January 30, 2010, he was installed on the throne of the Diocese of Dorostol .