Thomas Aquinas: Works and Common Latin Abbreviations by Dr. Dony K. Donev

Thomas Aquinas: Works and Common Latin Abbreviations

Consolidated reference table with Latin titles, supplied Greek title translations, and English translations. Latin abbreviations follow common modern Thomistic citation practice; variants occur by edition and publisher. Greek titles are translations/short titles, not a universal Greek abbreviation system.

Scope: principal authentic works plus selected doubtful/probably authentic works included in the prior table. “Doubtful” reflects the status used in this working reference; consult the Corpus Thomisticum and the citation guide required by your publisher for definitive editorial decisions.

Major works

Abbreviation	Latin title	Greek translation	English translation	Status
Super Sent.	Scriptum super libros Sententiarum	Σχόλιον εἰς τὰ βιβλία τῶν Ἀποφάσεων	Commentary on the Books of Sentences	—
ST	Summa theologiae	Σύνοψη τῆς θεολογίας	Summa of Theology	—
ST Suppl.	Supplementum tertiae partis	Συμπλήρωμα τοῦ τρίτου μέρους	Supplement to the Third Part	—
ScG	Summa contra Gentiles	Σύνοψη κατὰ τῶν ἐθνῶν	Summa Against the Gentiles	—
Comp. theol.	Compendium theologiae	Ἐπιτομὴ τῆς θεολογίας	Compendium of Theology	—
Lectura Romana	Lectura Romana in primum Sententiarum Petri Lombardi	Ῥωμαϊκὴ διάλεξις εἰς τὸ πρῶτον βιβλίον τῶν Ἀποφάσεων τοῦ Πέτρου Λομβάρδου	Roman Lectures on Peter Lombard’s First Book of Sentences	Doubtful

Disputed questions

Abbreviation	Latin title	Greek translation	English translation	Status
De verit.	Quaestiones disputatae De veritate	Διαλεχθεῖσαι ζητήσεις περὶ ἀληθείας	Disputed Questions on Truth	—
De pot.	Quaestiones disputatae De potentia	Διαλεχθεῖσαι ζητήσεις περὶ δυνάμεως	Disputed Questions on Power	—
Q. de anima	Quaestiones disputatae De anima	Διαλεχθεῖσαι ζητήσεις περὶ ψυχῆς	Disputed Questions on the Soul	—
De spir. creat.	Quaestio disputata De spiritualibus creaturis	Διαλεχθεῖσα ζήτησις περὶ πνευματικῶν κτισμάτων	Disputed Question on Spiritual Creatures	—
De unione Verbi	Quaestio disputata De unione Verbi incarnati	Διαλεχθεῖσα ζήτησις περὶ τῆς ἑνώσεως τοῦ σαρκωθέντος Λόγου	Disputed Question on the Union of the Incarnate Word	—
De malo	Quaestiones disputatae De malo	Διαλεχθεῖσαι ζητήσεις περὶ κακοῦ	Disputed Questions on Evil	—
De virtut.	Quaestiones disputatae De virtutibus	Διαλεχθεῖσαι ζητήσεις περὶ ἀρετῶν	Disputed Questions on the Virtues	—
De virtut. in comm.	Quaestio disputata De virtute in communi	Διαλεχθεῖσα ζήτησις περὶ ἀρετῆς καθόλου	Disputed Question on Virtue in General	—
De carit.	Quaestio disputata De caritate	Διαλεχθεῖσα ζήτησις περὶ ἀγάπης	Disputed Question on Charity	—
De correc. frater.	Quaestio disputata De correctione fraterna	Διαλεχθεῖσα ζήτησις περὶ ἀδελφικῆς διορθώσεως	Disputed Question on Fraternal Correction	—
De spe	Quaestio disputata De spe	Διαλεχθεῖσα ζήτησις περὶ ἐλπίδος	Disputed Question on Hope	—
De virtut. card.	Quaestio disputata De virtutibus cardinalibus	Διαλεχθεῖσα ζήτησις περὶ τῶν κυρίων ἀρετῶν	Disputed Question on the Cardinal Virtues	—
Quodl.	Quaestiones de quolibet	Ζητήσεις περὶ παντὸς θέματος	Quodlibetal Questions	—
De libro vitae	Quaestio De libro vitae	Ζήτησις περὶ τοῦ βιβλίου τῆς ζωῆς	Question on the Book of Life	Doubtful

Philosophical works

Abbreviation	Latin title	Greek translation	English translation	Status
De ente	De ente et essentia	Περὶ τοῦ ὄντος καὶ τῆς οὐσίας	On Being and Essence	—
De princ. nat.	De principiis naturae	Περὶ τῶν ἀρχῶν τῆς φύσεως	On the Principles of Nature	—
De unit. intell.	De unitate intellectus contra Averroistas	Περὶ τῆς ἑνότητος τοῦ νοῦ κατὰ τῶν Ἀβερροϊστῶν	On the Unity of the Intellect, Against the Averroists	—
De aetern. mundi	De aeternitate mundi contra murmurantes	Περὶ τῆς ἀϊδιότητος τοῦ κόσμου κατὰ τῶν γογγυζόντων	On the Eternity of the World, Against the Grumblers	—
De subst. sep.	De substantiis separatis	Περὶ τῶν χωριστῶν οὐσιῶν	On Separate Substances	—
De mixt. elem.	De mixtione elementorum	Περὶ τῆς μίξεως τῶν στοιχείων	On the Mixture of the Elements	—
De motu cord.	De motu cordis	Περὶ τῆς κινήσεως τῆς καρδίας	On the Motion of the Heart	—
De op. occ.	De operationibus occultis naturae	Περὶ τῶν κρυφίων ἐνεργειῶν τῆς φύσεως	On the Hidden Operations of Nature	—
De iud. ast.	De iudiciis astrorum	Περὶ τῶν κρίσεων τῶν ἄστρων	On Astrological Judgments	—
De sort.	De sortibus	Περὶ κλήρων	On the Casting of Lots	—
De fallaciis	De fallaciis	Περὶ τῶν σοφισμάτων	On Fallacies	Doubtful
De prop. modal.	De propositionibus modalibus	Περὶ τροπικῶν προτάσεων	On Modal Propositions	Doubtful
De cogn. animae	De cognitione animae	Περὶ τῆς γνώσεως τῆς ψυχῆς	On the Knowledge of the Soul	Doubtful
De immort. animae	De immortalitate animae	Περὶ τῆς ἀθανασίας τῆς ψυχῆς	On the Immortality of the Soul	Doubtful

Theology, church, and polemics

Abbreviation	Latin title	Greek translation	English translation	Status
De art. fid.	De articulis fidei et Ecclesiae sacramentis	Περὶ τῶν ἄρθρων τῆς πίστεως καὶ τῶν μυστηρίων τῆς Ἐκκλησίας	On the Articles of Faith and the Sacraments of the Church	—
De rat. fid.	De rationibus fidei ad cantorem Antiochenum	Περὶ τῶν λόγων τῆς πίστεως πρὸς τὸν ψάλτην τῆς Ἀντιοχείας	On the Reasons for the Faith, to the Cantor of Antioch	—
De perf.	De perfectione spiritualis vitae	Περὶ τῆς τελειότητος τοῦ πνευματικοῦ βίου	On the Perfection of the Spiritual Life	—
Cont. impug.	Contra impugnantes Dei cultum et religionem	Κατὰ τῶν πολεμούντων τὴν λατρείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ τὸν θρησκευτικὸ βίο	Against Those Who Attack the Worship of God and Religious Life	—
Cont. retrah.	Contra doctrinam retrahentium a religione	Κατὰ τῆς διδασκαλίας τῶν ἀποσπώντων ἀπὸ τοῦ θρησκευτικοῦ βίου	Against the Teaching of Those Who Draw People Away from Religious Life	—
Cont. err. Graec.	Contra errores Graecorum	Κατὰ τῶν πλανῶν τῶν Ἑλλήνων	Against the Errors of the Greeks	—
De forma abs.	De forma absolutionis	Περὶ τοῦ τύπου τῆς ἀφέσεως	On the Form of Absolution	—
De regno	De regno ad regem Cypri	Περὶ βασιλείας πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα τῆς Κύπρου	On Kingship, to the King of Cyprus	—
De empt.	De emptione et venditione ad tempus	Περὶ ἀγορασίας καὶ πωλήσεως ἐπὶ χρόνῳ	On Buying and Selling on Credit	—
Ad Bernard.	Epistola ad Bernardum	Ἐπιστολὴ πρὸς Βερνάρδον	Letter to Bernard	—
Ad duc. Brab.	Epistola ad ducissam Brabantiae	Ἐπιστολὴ πρὸς τὴν δούκισσαν τῆς Βραβάντης	Letter to the Duchess of Brabant	—
De 6 art.	Responsiones ad magistrum Ioannem de Vercellis de VI articulis	Ἀποκρίσεις πρὸς τὸν διδάσκαλον Ἰωάννην τὸν ἐκ Βερκελλῶν περὶ ἓξ ἄρθρων	Replies to Master John of Vercelli on Six Articles	—
De 30 art.	Responsiones ad magistrum Ioannem de Vercellis de XXX articulis	Ἀποκρίσεις πρὸς τὸν διδάσκαλον Ἰωάννην τὸν ἐκ Βερκελλῶν περὶ τριάκοντα ἄρθρων	Replies to Master John of Vercelli on Thirty Articles	—
De 36 art.	Responsiones ad lectorem Venetum de XXXVI articulis	Ἀποκρίσεις πρὸς τὸν Βενετὸν ἀναγνώστην περὶ τριάκοντα ἓξ ἄρθρων	Replies to the Venetian Reader on Thirty-Six Articles	—
De 43 art.	Responsiones ad magistrum Ioannem de Vercellis de XLIII articulis	Ἀποκρίσεις πρὸς τὸν διδάσκαλον Ἰωάννην τὸν ἐκ Βερκελλῶν περὶ τεσσαράκοντα τριῶν ἄρθρων	Replies to Master John of Vercelli on Forty-Three Articles	—
De 108 art.	Responsiones ad magistrum Ioannem de Vercellis de CVIII articulis	Ἀποκρίσεις πρὸς τὸν διδάσκαλον Ἰωάννην τὸν ἐκ Βερκελλῶν περὶ ἑκατὸν ὀκτὼ ἄρθρων	Replies to Master John of Vercelli on 108 Articles	—

Philosophical commentaries

Abbreviation	Latin title	Greek translation	English translation	Status
Super Peri herm.	Expositio libri Peryermeneias	Ἑρμηνεία τοῦ βιβλίου Περὶ ἑρμηνείας	Commentary on Aristotle’s On Interpretation	—
Super Post. An.	Expositio libri Posteriorum Analyticorum	Ἑρμηνεία τῶν Ὑστέρων Ἀναλυτικῶν	Commentary on Aristotle’s Posterior Analytics	—
Super Phys.	In libros Physicorum	Σχόλιον εἰς τὰ Φυσικά	Commentary on Aristotle’s Physics	—
Super De caelo	In libros De caelo et mundo	Σχόλιον εἰς τὸ Περὶ οὐρανοῦ καὶ κόσμου	Commentary on Aristotle’s On the Heavens and the World	—
Super De gen.	In libros De generatione et corruptione	Σχόλιον εἰς τὸ Περὶ γενέσεως καὶ φθορᾶς	Commentary on Aristotle’s On Generation and Corruption	—
Super Meteora	Sentencia super Meteora	Σχόλιον εἰς τὰ Μετεωρολογικά	Commentary on Aristotle’s Meteorology	—
Super De anima	Sentencia libri De anima	Σχόλιον εἰς τὸ Περὶ ψυχῆς	Commentary on Aristotle’s On the Soul	—
Super De sensu	Sentencia libri De sensu et sensato	Σχόλιον εἰς τὸ Περὶ αἰσθήσεως καὶ αἰσθητῶν	Commentary on Aristotle’s On Sense and the Sensible	—
Super De mem.	Sentencia libri De memoria et reminiscentia	Σχόλιον εἰς τὸ Περὶ μνήμης καὶ ἀναμνήσεως	Commentary on Aristotle’s On Memory and Recollection	—
Super Ethic.	Sententia libri Ethicorum	Σχόλιον εἰς τὰ Ἠθικὰ Νικομάχεια	Commentary on Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics	—
Tab. Ethic.	Tabula Ethicorum	Πίναξ τῶν Ἠθικῶν	Table/Index of the Ethics	—
Super Pol.	Sententia libri Politicorum	Σχόλιον εἰς τὰ Πολιτικά	Commentary on Aristotle’s Politics	—
Super Metaph.	Sententia libri Metaphysicae	Σχόλιον εἰς τὰ Μετὰ τὰ φυσικά	Commentary on Aristotle’s Metaphysics	—
Super De causis	Super librum De causis expositio	Ἑρμηνεία εἰς τὸ Βιβλίον περὶ αἰτιῶν	Commentary on the Book of Causes	—
Super De div. nom.	In librum B. Dionysii De divinis nominibus expositio	Ἑρμηνεία εἰς τὸ βιβλίον τοῦ ἁγίου Διονυσίου Περὶ θείων ὀνομάτων	Commentary on Pseudo-Dionysius’s Divine Names	—
Super De hebd.	Expositio libri Boetii De ebdomadibus	Ἑρμηνεία τοῦ βιβλίου τοῦ Βοηθίου Περὶ Ἑβδομάδων	Commentary on Boethius’s On the Hebdomads	—
Super De Trin.	Super Boetium De Trinitate	Σχόλιον εἰς τὸ Περὶ Τριάδος τοῦ Βοηθίου	Commentary on Boethius’s On the Trinity	—

Biblical commentaries

Abbreviation	Latin title	Greek translation	English translation	Status
Super Ps.	Super Psalmos	Σχόλιον εἰς τοὺς Ψαλμούς	Commentary on the Psalms	—
Super Iob	Expositio super Iob ad litteram	Κατὰ γράμμα ἑρμηνεία εἰς τὸν Ἰώβ	Literal Commentary on Job	—
Super Is.	Super Isaiam	Σχόλιον εἰς τὸν Ἠσαΐαν	Commentary on Isaiah	—
Super Ier.	In Ieremiam	Σχόλιον εἰς τὸν Ἱερεμίαν	Commentary on Jeremiah	—
Super Thren.	Super Threnos Ieremiae	Σχόλιον εἰς τοὺς Θρήνους τοῦ Ἱερεμίου	Commentary on Lamentations	Doubtful
Super Matt.	Super Matthaeum	Σχόλιον εἰς τὸν Ματθαῖον	Commentary on Matthew	—
Super Ioan.	Super Ioannem	Σχόλιον εἰς τὸν Ἰωάννην	Commentary on John	—
Cat. Matt.	Catena aurea in Matthaeum	Χρυσῆ ἅλυσις εἰς τὸν Ματθαῖον	Golden Chain on Matthew	—
Cat. Marc.	Catena aurea in Marcum	Χρυσῆ ἅλυσις εἰς τὸν Μάρκον	Golden Chain on Mark	—
Cat. Luc.	Catena aurea in Lucam	Χρυσῆ ἅλυσις εἰς τὸν Λουκᾶν	Golden Chain on Luke	—
Cat. Ioan.	Catena aurea in Ioannem	Χρυσῆ ἅλυσις εἰς τὸν Ἰωάννην	Golden Chain on John	—
Super Rom.	Super Romanos	Σχόλιον εἰς τὴν Πρὸς Ῥωμαίους	Commentary on Romans	—
Super I Cor.	Super I ad Corinthios	Σχόλιον εἰς τὴν Αʹ Πρὸς Κορινθίους	Commentary on First Corinthians	—
Super II Cor.	Super II ad Corinthios	Σχόλιον εἰς τὴν Βʹ Πρὸς Κορινθίους	Commentary on Second Corinthians	—
Super Gal.	Super Galatas	Σχόλιον εἰς τὴν Πρὸς Γαλάτας	Commentary on Galatians	—
Super Eph.	Super Ephesios	Σχόλιον εἰς τὴν Πρὸς Ἐφεσίους	Commentary on Ephesians	—
Super Phil.	Super Philippenses	Σχόλιον εἰς τὴν Πρὸς Φιλιππησίους	Commentary on Philippians	—
Super Col.	Super Colossenses	Σχόλιον εἰς τὴν Πρὸς Κολοσσαεῖς	Commentary on Colossians	—
Super I Thess.	Super I Thessalonicenses	Σχόλιον εἰς τὴν Αʹ Πρὸς Θεσσαλονικεῖς	Commentary on First Thessalonians	—
Super II Thess.	Super II Thessalonicenses	Σχόλιον εἰς τὴν Βʹ Πρὸς Θεσσαλονικεῖς	Commentary on Second Thessalonians	—
Super I Tim.	Super I Timotheum	Σχόλιον εἰς τὴν Αʹ Πρὸς Τιμόθεον	Commentary on First Timothy	—
Super II Tim.	Super II Timotheum	Σχόλιον εἰς τὴν Βʹ Πρὸς Τιμόθεον	Commentary on Second Timothy	—
Super Tit.	Super Titum	Σχόλιον εἰς τὴν Πρὸς Τίτον	Commentary on Titus	—
Super Philem.	Super Philemonem	Σχόλιον εἰς τὴν Πρὸς Φιλήμονα	Commentary on Philemon	—
Super Heb.	Super Epistolam ad Hebraeos	Σχόλιον εἰς τὴν Πρὸς Ἑβραίους	Commentary on Hebrews	—

Catecheses, sermons, and liturgy

Abbreviation	Latin title	Greek translation	English translation	Status
In Symb.	Collationes in Symbolum Apostolorum	Διαλέξεις εἰς τὸ Σύμβολον τῶν Ἀποστόλων	Conferences on the Apostles’ Creed	—
Expos. Sal. ang.	Expositio Salutationis angelicae	Ἑρμηνεία τοῦ Ἀγγελικοῦ Ἀσπασμοῦ	Explanation of the Angelic Salutation	—
De dec. praec.	Collationes de decem praeceptis	Διαλέξεις περὶ τῶν δέκα ἐντολῶν	Conferences on the Ten Commandments	—
In orat. dom.	Expositio in orationem dominicam	Ἑρμηνεία εἰς τὴν Κυριακὴ Προσευχή	Explanation of the Lord’s Prayer	—
Off. Corp. Chr.	Officium Corporis Christi	Ἀκολουθία τοῦ Σώματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ	Office of Corpus Christi	Doubtful
Adoro te devote	Adoro te devote	Σὲ προσκυνῶ εὐλαβῶς	I Devoutly Adore You	Doubtful
Serm.	Sermones	Κηρύγματα	Sermons	—
Princ. bib.	Principium biblicum “Hic est liber”	Βιβλικὸν προοίμιον «Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ βιβλίος»	Biblical Inaugural Lecture, “This Is the Book”	Doubtful

Citation components

Form	Meaning
pro.	prologue
q.	question
a.	article
obj.	objection
s.c.	sed contra / on the contrary
resp.	respondeo / central response
ad	reply to an objection
c.	chapter
lect.	lecture
dist. / d.	distinction
corp.	body of the article

Sources and use

Primary reference points: The Thomist, “Abbreviations and Citations of the Works of Thomas Aquinas” (2025); Corpus Thomisticum, Opera omnia and synoptic catalogue. Citation abbreviations and exact Latin titles can differ slightly among the Leonine edition, Marietti editions, institutional style guides, and digital editions.

Example: ST I, q. 2, a. 3 = Summa theologiae, First Part, question 2, article 3.

A Summer of Serving: Bringing Hope and the Gospel to Appalachian Communities

by Cup&Cross Ministries, Intl.

Growing up in the Appalachian Mountains has made ministry to this region deeply personal. The people and the challenges faced by rural families are not distant realities to us as humble messengers of the Gospel. Because of our commitment to honoring the dignity of every individual, we have never been a ministry that uses images of poverty or vulnerable children to raise support. For ethical reasons and out of respect for the families we serve, this report will be presented through words rather than photographs.

This summer, we have been blessed with numerous opportunities to minister throughout the rural communities from Tennessee to North Carolina. Each opportunity has been a reminder that ministry is often found in simple acts of compassion and being open to the tug on your heart to act where and how He commands. Our summer outreach began with an invitation to participate in a community event held at the county courthouse, where we helped provide shoes, school supplies, and food for more than 150 children. This initial partnership opened the door for further ministry involvement, including helping prepare and pack more than 300 ministry bags filled with Bible devotions, crafts, and resources designed to encourage children spiritually.

Following, we partnered with a local Baptist church to distribute vitamins we donated to children participating in their summer program. This was an unplanned event that from start to finish literally happened within 24 hours. For many families, basic health resources that we often overlook are difficult to afford. These moments remind us of the many blessings we experience each day and the importance of sharing those blessings with others.

Through the Cup & Cross Homeschool Network, we were also able to provide homeschool curriculum and educational resources to families within our community. Supporting parents who are committed to educating their children while strengthening their faith continues to be an important part of our mission. And during this election season, we have had the opportunity to engage with several candidates and community leaders to raise awareness about the importance of homeschool independence, parental rights, and educational freedom. Building upon these conversations, we continued advocating for families and strengthening relationships with local leaders which is apparent by Cup & Cross successfully working with the county commissioners to adopt our county as the first homeschool sanctuary in the Nation. We also are continuing to serve in the Summer Serve Project of the First Lady of our State as well.

Throughout the summer, we have also had the privilege of volunteering with several local churches during their Vacation Bible School programs and three week-long summer camps one of which was personally hosted to teach the Eastern European community in our area. These opportunities have allowed us to invest directly into the next generation by teaching children the Word of God and building relationships within our community which is so important to us. Jesus did ministry by “walking around” and it is one that should not be overlooked.

Our passion for reaching children with Biblical truth throughout the summer led to a unique divine connection beyond our local area. We traveled to North Carolina to minister to children within the Cherokee community of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, the only federally recognized Native American tribe in North Carolina. This opportunity allowed us to share the love of Christ with our actions while learning from this historic community.

As we look ahead, we ask for prayer that God will continue to open doors and provide favor so that this relationship may grow and develop over the coming months. We are grateful for every opportunity to serve, knowing that even the smallest acts of kindness can become powerful expressions of God’s love.

“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” – Galatians 6:9

3 Sources of Spiritual Power

We need to have a spiritual awakening – we need a new power from God – the power of the Holy Spirit in us today, as on the Day of Pentecost! But the key which will release that power into our lives now is a new level of faith in Jesus Christ!

In Matthew 17, when Jesus’ disciples failed to cast out the demon from the epileptic boy and then asked him why, He rebuked them for their unbelief, ‘If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, remove hence to yonder place and it shall remove’, AND AFTER IT DOES, ‘nothing will be impossible to you!’ (Matthew 17:20). What a challenge – while I was preaching this, God showed me the hidden key!

Unbelief brings failure: Jesus rebuked His disciples because they did not have the faith to do what they had to do – they had been given a specific job and when they were left to do it, they failed! Jesus spoke to them very strongly. Because they knew that they had failed publicly and He had rebuked them openly, they came to Him privately to ask what had gone wrong, in those immortal words, ‘Why?’ – ‘Why could we not cast out this spirit and heal the boy?’

Faith is the KEY: There is something hidden here. Yes, Jesus said in answer to their question, ‘If you had faith… you could move mountains.’ But the real secret of power is hidden. We get stuck at the thought that mortal man could move anything bigger than himself! We agonise over the reality of moving that mountain – call our friends to stand with us in believing prayer – because this mountain is proving harder than we thought to move. Then when it happens – that miracle, that healing, or financial solution – we become so excited (as I experienced so many times personally), that we drop the real key down the drain in our excitement!

The disciples had missed the opportunity of releasing the greatest power into their lives – Jesus was putting a key in their hands, and if they would only use this key, their lives would never be the same again! For me, searching and hungry for more of God’s power in my life, I saw what I have been waiting for – THERE IS A SPIRITUAL ‘REGION BEYOND’. Do you want more of God – a fresh bempoweremnt by the Holy Spirit? Whether you come alone, with friends, or as part of a church group, we invite you to be part of this significant day:

• A Day to Release the Full Power of the Holy Spirit.
• A Powerful Day of Impartation, Worship and Revival.
• Come expecting a fresh touch from Heaven, to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

We have 3 Sources of Spiritual Power: The Holy Spirit, prayer, and the power of the blood…

Another denomination splits from the Bulgarian Church of God

One more denomination has split from the Bulgarian Church of God. After a year of struggles and dilemmas, the annual report indexing the state of the church shows a new denomination registered with the municipality court in the capital Sofia. The new Philadelphia church has emerged from an association of Romani pastors with a similar name that has existed and operated for almost 15 years. This is the 11^th officially registered fraction leaving the denomination since the split of 2005. Two more churches, Mostar and Rebirth, too seem to have ceased meetings within the last year after the sale of the Bulgarian Ministry Center in the capital Sofia. The Center which broke ground in 2001 and was dedicated in 2011, hosted a number of strategic Church of God congregations during its decade of operation. Since 2005, most older Romani congregations exist with dual registration alongside the national alliance of Church of God-United (unitarian). With the current split, the total number of fractions separating from the original denomination now exceeds 13 (if not 14):

1. Bulgarian Church of God (27.12.1990)
2. Church of God in Bulgaria (23.01.2006)
3. God’s Church (13938/2006: 07.02.2007)
4. Church of God-12 (Sofia, Rodostono)
5. New Generation Church of God (05.04.2000)
6. Bethesda Church of God (27.12.2010)
7. BulLiv Church of God (15.01.2000)
8. New Life Church of God (06.11.2000)
9. Bulgarian Church of God – Sofia (4996/2003 Sredetz, E.Georgiev Bul. 2, apt. 4)
10. Bridge Church of God (50/2013)

• Church-Split Protection Plan
• The Central Church of God Ministry Center in Sofia (Bulgaria) Today

Rev. William Ward Meriam

On 22 April 1859, the Protestant missionary William Merriam and his wife were appointed as missionaries to the newly established missionary station in Plovdiv. This appointment formed part of a coordinated policy between the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions and the Methodist Mission aimed at curbing the ambitions of the Catholic Uniate movement in the Balkans. The year 1859 marked the planned beginning of coordinated missionary activity on both sides of the Balkan Range. In 1857, Albert Long and Wesley Prettyman settled in Shumen (then Shumla). On Christmas Eve 1859, Dr. Long began holding regular worship services in the old capital Tarnovo, documenting a financial donation for a chitalishte (community cultural center) in which these services were to be conducted.

Almost simultaneously, in 1858, the Congregationalist Charles Morse settled in Sofia by appointment dated 26 March 1858, while the missionary Theodore Byington was appointed to Stara Zagora on 4 September 1858. Their settlement, as well as that of the missionary Merriam family in Plovdiv, is described in a letter from K. Vasilev to Nayden Gerov dated 15 October 1859. Prof. Hristo Hristov correctly notes the date of Merriam’s appointment to Plovdiv as 22 April 1859, as recorded in the archives of the American Board, whereas P. Angelova describes their later return to the city with the Clark family in October of the same year and therefore erroneously identifies Clark as “the first Protestant missionary in Plovdiv.” According to the American Board archives, however, Clark arrived half a year after Merriam.

The arrival of the Merriam family in Bulgaria marked the long-awaited beginning of serious activity aimed at the construction of churches in Sofia, Bansko, and Plovdiv, together with a school, as well as a similar institution in Stara Zagora. Rev. William Ward Merriam completed his theological studies at Harvard at the age of twenty-three and graduated from Andover Seminary only three years later. He married Susan Dimon on 1 September 1858 and was ordained by the Congregational Church on 28 November of the same year. His wife had been a long-serving teacher in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

On 17 January 1859, the couple sailed together for Smyrna, arriving there on 22 February. Almost immediately, on 12 March, a decision was taken to open a missionary station in Plovdiv. The Merriams then traveled to Adrianople (Edirne), where on 22 April 1859 they were formally appointed missionaries to Plovdiv and subsequently made several journeys to the city. In the autumn of the same year, the Clark family arrived from America and joined the new missionary station. The first missionary report from Plovdiv in 1859 states:

“On the part of the Bulgarians there exists a strong desire that the Bible be read in their native language… extensive fields, ripe for harvest, are open to native preachers, book distributors, and teachers… The Bulgarian nation is awakening to a new political life… No labor or sacrifice should be spared in order that these people may also be awakened to spiritual life.”

From the founding of the missionary station in Plovdiv, Protestant worship services were held every Sunday in Turkish, and the Bulgarian attendees soon expressed a desire to hear preaching in their own language. After the arrival of the Clark family in Plovdiv, a Bible study group was organized in their home. Following an unsuccessful rental agreement for a Greek-owned house, the missionaries rented the house of A. Zagarlia on Dzhambaz Tepe, where regular prayer meetings were attended by twelve to fifteen young Bulgarians.

On 21 July 1860, Merriam recorded in his diary: “Today Mr. Clark opened the school…” The first pupil was Zelo Mihailov from Chirpan, born in 1840, who had attended the Protestant college in Malta. Prior to the opening of the mission school, on 16 July, the pasha had been officially informed and exclaimed: “If all Protestant missionaries had begun with schools, they would have achieved far greater success.”

His comment demonstrates that the activities of the missionaries and the effectiveness of their educational work were well known to the authorities long before 1859–1860. On 24 November 1860, the Clark family rented a new residence due to the growing number of students. There were now five: Petar Musevich from Pazardzhik and Nikola Boyadzhiev from Panagyurishte, later joined by Georgi Penev from Chirpan, Ivan Tondzhorov from Samokov, and Andrey S. Tsanov from the Orhanie (Botevgrad) region. The Sunday school was attended by an additional seven to eight Bulgarian youths. Only two years later, students from the Protestant school were already singing a Bulgarian hymn in the church of St. Theotokos on the feast of Cyril and Methodius.

In the summer of 1862, the Merriam family traveled to Constantinople for the annual mission meeting. They were accompanied by their ten-month-old daughter Mary (born 27 August 1861, not a five-year-old son as erroneously stated by E. Shelton), while Susan Merriam was in an advanced stage of pregnancy. At the meeting with missionaries Morse and Byington, the expansion of the Bulgarian mission was discussed, which already counted thirty-two adherents in Plovdiv, Sofia, and Stara Zagora.

On 3 July 1862, the day before the American national holiday, while returning from the annual meeting along the road between Harmanli and Haskovo, in the region of Uzundzhovo, the Merriam family was attacked by brigands. A detailed account of the incident is found in a letter from Rufus Anderson, President of the American Board, dated 12 August 1862. The attack was carried out by five armed horsemen. Upon their appearance, the caravan’s guard – consisting of two well-armed mounted zaptiehs – fled without resistance, abandoning fifteen people traveling in five covered wagons. During the pursuit, a firefight ensued, and Merriam drew his own Colt revolver to defend his pregnant wife, who was holding their daughter. In response, the brigands opened fire, killing one of the horses and wounding two or three of the travelers. Merriam himself was struck by two bullets in his right side and died on the spot. He was only thirty-one years old.

His pregnant wife single-handedly defended her husband’s lifeless body and their infant daughter while the brigands looted the wagons. Two extraordinarily difficult days followed, during which Mrs. Merriam managed to transport her husband’s body to the nearest village. There she was met by a dispatched müdür, who assisted with the journey to Plovdiv. Burial could not be delayed, and under the protection of the British and Austrian consuls, it was carried out immediately in an Orthodox church. Some 20 days later, the trauma of the incident led to a premature birth, during which Mrs. Merriam died on 25 July 1862, together with her unborn twins. A special memorial service was held on 14 September of the same year by Rev. James Murray at the American Board’s Congregational church on Prospect Street in Cambridge.

The Merriams’ one-year-old daughter, Mary, was left a complete orphan in the very country to which God had called her parents as missionaries. She returned to Boston only on 12 May of the following year, aboard the sailing bark Smyrniota (owned by the Armenian merchant Marko Nikola Regio), which maintained a direct route between Smyrna and Boston. She was raised in the family of her uncle, John Newton Merriam, a prominent industrialist in Cambridge, Massachusetts. A high price – too often underestimated today – paid for the existence of an Evangelical church in Plovdiv.

Dony K. Donev, D.Min., is a prominent researcher and author specializing in Bulgarian Protestant, Evangelical, and Pentecostal history, with over three decades of study. His work, including 19th Century History of Protestantism in Bulgaria and The Unforgotten: Historical and Theological Roots of Pentecostalism in Bulgaria, documents the development of these movements, their suppression under Communism, and the subsequent post-1989 revival. Key aspects of Donev’s research on Bulgarian Protestant history include:
Origins (19th Century): Protestant work began in the 1800s, with denominations like Congregationalists (1856), Methodists (1857), and Baptists (1865) establishing missions, culminating in the first Bulgarian Protestant Church in 1871. Donev also highlights the 1871 publication of the Protestant Bulgarian Bible translation. His research, often in collaboration with the Institute of Bulgarian Protestant History, has focused on preserving, digitizing, and recovering documents, including church diaries, photographs, and, in some cases, saving records from destruction during the communist era.

Spurling and Tomlinson: Between Azusa Street and Cleveland

Bezmer Residents Launch Petition Against U.S. Aircraft Deployment

Residents of the Bulgarian village of Bezmer have launched a petition opposing the deployment of American KC-135 tanker aircraft at the nearby military airbase, saying they fear the move could make the region a potential target because of tensions surrounding Iran.

The initiative was announced by Bezmer Mayor Rosen Rusev, who said support is already spreading to neighboring villages in Tundzha Municipality and across the Yambol region. The campaign follows the approval by Bulgaria‘s Parliament and government of a U.S. request to station up to eight American tanker aircraft and up to 250 military personnel at the Bezmer Air Base.

Local residents say their main concern is that the aircraft could be used for logistical missions connected to the conflict involving Iran, increasing security risks for nearby communities. “People in the village are worried because there are no clear guarantees for the security of the settlement itself,” Rusev said. “We hear that Iranian missiles can reach a target within minutes, and we do not know what system could intercept them because Bulgaria does not have modernized equipment capable of stopping such missiles.”

The petition has already been joined by the mayors and residents of Kozarevo, Malomir, Bolyarsko and other nearby villages. Signature sheets have been placed in municipal offices, shops and other public locations, with organizers planning to collect signatures until Friday. The document is expected to be submitted to the National Assembly, the regional governor of Yambol, the mayor of Tundzha Municipality and Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov during his scheduled visit to the region. The mayors of municipalities across Yambol Province have also prepared a joint position on regional security.

According to Rusev, support has grown rapidly. “In just one commercial establishment we counted around 100 signatures in a single day. There are several more collection points, so I believe there are already between 300 and 400 signatures, and the number is continuing to rise.” He acknowledged that residents understand the petition alone is unlikely to reverse the decision, but said some have also organized a protest outside the airbase scheduled for Friday evening.

The mayors of neighboring villages said they are hearing similar concerns from local residents. Bolyarsko Mayor Vanya Peeva said, “People follow the news and understand what is happening. The concerns are serious.” Roza Mayor Roza Encho Yorgov added that nearby villages fear they could become collateral victims if the airbase were ever targeted. “Residents believe that if anything happens at the airbase, neighboring settlements could also suffer from a conflict that we ourselves are entering,” she said.

Residents interviewed in Bezmer expressed fears that their village could become a military target. Some said they have no objection to the presence of aircraft or international military exercises, which have long been held at the base, but view the current deployment differently because they believe the tankers could directly support operations related to the Middle East.

“We are worried because Bezmer is becoming a target,” one resident said, while another added, “We don’t want them here. The whole village doesn’t want them.” Others argued that Bulgaria should avoid involvement in conflicts that do not directly concern the country. Several people said they were prepared to escalate their actions through protests, road blockades and civil disobedience if necessary.

Reports indicate that thousands of people have now joined the petition, while the first American tanker aircraft are expected to arrive at the airbase on Friday.

Defending the government’s decision, Progressive Bulgaria MP Yavor Gechev said the deployment serves Bulgaria‘s national interests and fulfills the country’s NATO commitments. Speaking on Bulgarian National Television, he noted that the presence of American military aircraft in Bulgaria is not unprecedented.

“Previously, American aircraft were stationed at Sofia Airport. Now they will be where they belong – at a military airbase,” Gechev said.

He stressed that Bulgaria is not at war with Iran and wants the conflict to end, but argued that refusing the request could damage relations with the United States, which he described as one of Bulgaria‘s key strategic partners. “These are strategic decisions. If we reject this cooperation, we risk worsening our relations with the United States, and that would also have economic consequences,” he said.

Gechev acknowledged that some supporters of the governing majority disagree with the deployment but maintained that decisions involving national security require a broader statesmanlike approach. He declined to comment on speculation linking the deployment to other diplomatic or economic issues, saying not every aspect of diplomacy can be made public.

30 years ago in Chicago

I left Chicago on this day 30 years ago (July 30, 1995). The Bulgarian church that day held service at 1 PM with 64 Bulgarians and many other internationals in attendance. Bulgarian students from the neighboring Indiana and Wisconsin attended as well. There was even a Bulgarian family from Alaska.

It was a Sunday. I left Chicago to preach in Beloit, WI that night and then left for Washington, D.C. the following morning. While driving north with quite the speed my Carolina blue Grand National began filling with white smoke. At first, I thought the air conditioner was on its last leg in the hot Chicago summer of 1995, but the air remained strong and cold. The cloud proceeded and it was so sensible that I had to slow down and basically stop on the side of the road. In my 35 years of ministry, I have only seen this one more time – in 2011 when the Glory of God descended over a youth camp we were preaching in the Bulgarian mountains. I did finally preach in Beloit and made it to D.C. the next day, but the vision of the cloud remained with me for the next 30 years.

Meanwhile, the word of mouth had spread and the Bulgarian church in Chicago was growing among the Bulgarian diaspora. On October 7, 1995, I was able to visit the church in Chicago again and present it to the National Overseer of the Bulgarian Church of God, Pastor Pavel Ignatov who visited the Bulgarian congregation in Chicago for the first time. By that time, it has become evident that the initial structuring for growth was giving more than expected results. The church became not only the first officially registered Bulgarian Pentecostal congregation in the United States, but also an important social and educational center able to minister to the 100,000 Bulgarians that live in the Great Lake region today.

Called to another mission, I left Chicago on July 30, 1995. The church bulletin upon my departure under Farewell and Appreciation read: “Today we are saying thank you to Dony for a job well done this past summer. He has served our church faithfully, and has been a tremendous blessing to Narragansett Ministries. Immediately following worship this morning, there is a dinner in Dony’s honor in the fellowship hall. And everyone is invited to attend.” Quiescently, while writing this next book for the 30th anniversary of the Bulgarian Church in Chicago, I was able to find this last bulletin in a box with several dozen letters I had sent weekly to my parents in Bulgaria. Surprising even to myself, those letters contain pictures, documents, dates, growth charts and progression predictions that are surprising even to me today. I remember spending countless nights in prayer, contemplating and strategizing over the new Bulgarian church plant, but I had forgotten all this was carefully documented as a case study.

The church congregation presented me with a plaque that represented my efforts and work in Chicago, which I have also kept until now. Because this plaque represents the prayers and the vision of many who are continuing the work today, establishing and leading Bulgarian churches around the world to providing pastoral care for many who have left the homeland in search for a better life. To these ministers goes my personal token of appreciation and thanks, “Well done thou good and faithful!” For me personally today a quarter of a century later, this plaque represents one very simply thing – I never betrayed my dreams. And in my book, this is well done…

Ministry Not for Sale

My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not (Proverbs 1:10)

Several years ago, while employed with a certain organization, we faced the dilemma to choose between what was morally right and what was financially secure. Regardless of the jeopardy of this predicament, we were able to make the right decision, preserving our integrity and disallowing financial pressure to dictate our moral choices. Soon thereafter, we initiated a healing process which dealt with the internal wounds, restored the lost trust and attempted to recover the invested time and resources. Years past, we forgot the pain, but never forgot the lesson we learned …

Recently, while involved in a global ministry campaign, we were faced with a similar situation. This time, however, it did not involve business partners, but a multitude of Pentecostal ministers. The larger size of the context did not change the problem at hand, but rather intensified and multiplied its harmful effects. We regretfully witnessed how hundreds of men and women involved in ministry were manipulatively forced to face the same dilemma. They had to make a mandatory choice between the financial security of their families and their own moral integrity. The results were accordingly. Read more

Iran Sends Warning to Bulgaria

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said that any action enabling US strikes against Iran would amount to involvement in what he described as “aggression and war crimes.” He called on Bulgaria not to become “an accomplice to aggressors and violators of international law,” according to Iranian state media.

The warning comes after the Bulgarian government submitted a proposal to the National Assembly seeking approval for the deployment of up to eight US Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft, their crews, up to 250 American military personnel with personal weapons and ammunition, as well as related airport equipment.

The planned deployment is expected to take place at Bezmer airbase between July 24 and October 1, 2026. The request was forwarded to parliament after being approved by the Council of Ministers, while the Defense Committee backed the government proposal with 11 votes in favor, one against and two abstentions.

The issue is expected to be discussed in the plenary hall, with the current request differing from the previous deployment of US aircraft to Bulgaria. This time, the stated purpose is support for US operations in the Middle East, rather than NATO exercises, and the aircraft would be stationed at the military facility in Bezmer instead of Sofia’s civilian airport.

Tanker aircraft such as the KC-135 are primarily used to refuel other aircraft during flight, providing logistical support for military operations.

The Iranian warning comes amid renewed fighting between Washington and Tehran after a temporary ceasefire agreement collapsed. Both sides have intensified military actions in recent weeks, raising concerns over a possible return to a broader conflict.

Bulgarian diplomat Lyubomir Kyuchukov commented that the main difference between the current request and the previous one is that the purpose of the deployment has now been openly stated.

“This time the purpose has been declared openly, while the previous time it was concealed, and it is to provide logistics through the aircraft for strikes on Iran,” Kyuchukov said in an interview with NOVA NEWS.

According to him, the situation raises serious questions because the military actions between the United States and Iran are being carried out without a common position from the European Union and NATO.

“A very serious question arises, considering that practically no one even disputes that these military actions have nothing to do with international law,” Kyuchukov said, adding that EU member states have been left to make their own decisions regarding cooperation with Washington.

He noted that some countries with greater political and economic resources, such as Spain, refused similar requests, while others, including Italy and the United Kingdom, took more cautious positions.

Kyuchukov said Bulgaria must also consider its relations with the United States, but stressed that the key issue is the purpose of the aircraft’s presence.

“Because these tanker planes logistically support combat operations, and this is not in the agreement, and that is precisely why this entire issue needs to be addressed to the National Assembly,” he said.

The diplomat added that Bulgaria would not formally become a participant in the war through the deployment, but argued that the country would become involved in the broader conflict by taking a position.

“Bulgaria is not part of the war with this action, but it is part of the conflict, since it has taken a side in it,” Kyuchukov said.

He also argued that the confrontation between the United States and Iran had never fully ended despite previous attempts to establish a ceasefire.

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