His Holiness Patriarch Alexy meets Bulgarian President Georgy Pyrvanov

HIS HOLINESS PATRIARCH ALEXY MEETS BULGARIAN PRESIDENT GEORGY PYRVANOV

On 21 January 2003, His Holiness Alexy II, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, met with the President of the Republic of Bulgaria Georgy Pyrvanov at the Patriarchal residence in Chisty Pereulok. The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church congratulated Mr. Georgy Pyrvanov on his award from the Unity of Orthodox Nations Foundation.

Mr. Pyrvanov stressed that the award was the recognition of efforts made by the Bulgarian government to develop church-state relations. Also, it was a high appreciation of the contribution that the Bulgarian Orthodox Church has made to the spiritual treasury of Orthodoxy in the world.

His Holiness the Patriarch and Mr. Pyrvanov expressed their mutual conviction that spiritual ties between the two nations were based on the unity of the Orthodox faith, which nurtured their culture and was sealed with the blood of Russian warriors-liberators. “We consider this brotherhood in spirit as a solid basis for cooperation between our countries in all spheres of inter-state and international relations,” His Holiness the Patriarch emphasized.

They also discussed the issue of healing the schism in the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. His Holiness appreciated the fact that the Law on Religion adopted in Bulgaria met the wishes of the canonical Bulgarian Church and many millions of her faithful. “Any schism divides people and hampers creative work. We believe that the wisdom shown by you will help to heal the baneful split in Bulgarian Orthodoxy in the nearest future,” the Patriarch said.

See also:

His Holiness Alexy II, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia