A high-ranking cleric in the Bulgarian Orthodox Church might have a problem with “eternity” after failing to sell the Rolex watch that he claimed he would rather not enter heaven wearing.

Metropolitan Nikolay tried to sell the costly bling to pay his church’s electricity bill.  Problem is, Bulgaria’s economy is pretty weak under European Union-enforced austerity.  And A$7,555.95 is quite a bit to ask for a watch these days.

Nikolay had previously said’ "I'd rather go to heaven without a watch than to hell with one.”

The church has been under withering criticism for flaunting his Rolex in a time when people are getting by on a few hundred dollars a month, utility bills are skyrocketing, and the conservative government is cutting services.  In addition to Nikolay’s Rolex, a church leader in another city is getting low marks for driving around in a fancy Lincoln automobile.

And the Bulgarian Orthodox Church itself is the largest landowner in the country.

The opposition Socialist Party is pulled equal to the ruling party in upcoming elections set for May.