Vatican Secretary of State meets with Bulgaria PM, President

03/22/16 05:39
(http://www.klassa.bg/)

Vatican Secretary of State meets with Bulgaria PM, President

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov met on Monday with Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who was on an official visit to Bulgaria on March 20-21 at the invitation of Mr Borisov.
Cardinal Parolin’s visit has been the first visit of a Vatican Secretary of State in the past 10 years.
“We highly appreciate our relations with the Holy See and I am glad today’s meeting is an expression of their successful development,” said Boyko Borisov, speaking at the meeting.
The Prime Minister voiced his gratitude for the Holy See’s good will to continue not only inter-state dialogue at the highest level but also back the tradition of meetings of Bulgarian state, government, and parliamentary delegations with the Pope and the Vatican Secretary of State over the Bulgarian Education and Culture and Slavonic Literature Day marked on May 24.
Borisov also thanked for the solving of the matter of Bulgarian religious services in Rome through giving the San Paolo alla Regola temple to be used in them.
The Bulgarian government head noted he shared the Pope’s concern over the worsening humanitarian crises worldwide and laid emphasis on the importance of initiatives aimed at finding a peaceful solution to conflicts.
After the talks with Boyko Borisov, Cardinal Parolin noted his visit was in the frames of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of relations between the Holy See and Bulgaria.
He added he would convey the message of the Catholic community he had had the chance to meet and the members of which wanted the Pope to pay a visit to Bulgaria.
In relation to Easter, the Vatican official put emphasis on peace.
He expressed his hope every person could feel peace in his or her heart and all families could live in peace as this was the most important message nowadays.
PM Borisov gave Pietro Parolin a copy of the casing of a gospel book dating back to the first half of the sixteenth century.
The Vatican official made comments, speaking with journalists after his meeting with the Prime Minister.
“My visit to Bulgaria does not mean that Pope Francis will pay a visit to the country,” he said.
The Cardinal explained that his visit was connected with the marking of the 25th anniversary since the establishment of the relations between the Holy See and Bulgaria.
He explained that his visit should not be indispensably interpreted as a sign that the Pope would visit the country.
“I will send Bulgarians’ message to the Pope, and especially that of the Catholic community I had the chance to meet with, and country’s wish to welcome him on a visit,” Pietro Parolin said further.
He addressed all people in connection with the Holy Week and the Catholic Easter saying that there should be peace.
“My hope is that all of us, each one of us, can feel peace in their heart and all families can live in peace, because nowadays this is the most important message – peace,” the Cardinal said further.

President of the Republic of Bulgaria Rosen Plevneliev also held a meeting Monday with Cardinal Pietro Parolin and presented him with an Order of the Balkan Mountains - 1st Class.
The ceremony took place at the head office of the Bulgarian Head of State on Monday.
“The Catholic community in Bulgaria, as well as other Bulgarian citizens, received priceless support on behalf of the Catholic Church during the hard years of the transition period,” said Mr Plevneliev, speaking after meeting with the Vatican Secretary of State.
The Bulgarian Head of State said that in the person of the Cardinal Bulgaria saw a highly successful politician and a diplomat with high state and international prestige.
Mr Plevneliev commented that we were grateful to Mr Parolin for his responsiveness over the issues raised by Bulgaria before him, connected with our efforts to receive a new church for the Bulgarian services in Rome.
“We are also very grateful for the annual audiences before the Holy See, as well as the worship before the Bulgarian places in Rome in connection with May 24 – the Bulgarian Education and Culture and Slavonic Literature Day,” Rosen Plevneliev said further.
In his words, the relations between Bulgaria and the Holy See have a thousand-year-old history.
“We share the concern of Pope Francis and the Holy See over all people affected by various conflicts in the Middle East, Syria, and Ukraine,” the Bulgarian President went on to say.
The head of state noted it would be always remembered Angelo Roncalli – Pope John XXIII – had been an apostolic delegate in Sofia.
According to Rosen Plevneliev, his charity activities among Bulgarians at a difficult time in Bulgarian history will be also remembered.
The President also mentioned the visit of Pope John Paul II to Bulgaria in May 2002, which was the first visit of a Pope to the country.
“Bulgaria actively backs the efforts of the international democratic community to maintain dialogue between civilisations, religions, and cultures. We share the concern of Pope Francis and the Holy See over all people affected by various conflicts in the Middle East, Syria, Ukraine, and all other crisis-hit countries in the world,” Rosen Plevneliev stated.
He was explicit Bulgarians were proud their country was a symbol of interfaith dialogue and peaceful coexistence of people following different religions.
Cardinal Pietro Parolin said he hoped Bulgaria would continue being characterised by a spirit of generosity and openness.

Прочети цялата новина http://www.klassa.bg/News/Read/article/265942_Vatican+Secretary+of+State+meets+with+Bulgaria+PM%2C+President+

Публикувана на 03/22/16 05:39 http://www.klassa.bg/News/Read/article/265942_Vatican+Secretary+of+State+meets+with+Bulgaria+PM%2C+President+