In the article the question of the Bulgarian Church’s status has been examined during the period before its elevation into the rank of a Patriarchate as well as if it had not obtained autocephaly decades before it became Bulgarian Patriarchate. Based on the analysis of the historical evidence the conclusion has been reached that the status of an autocephalous church for the Bulgarian Archbishopric had already been recognized in the period between the end of 870s and the end of 890s.