Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad completes his visit to Bulgaria

On August 15, 2005, the Day of the 125^th anniversary of the Cathedral of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God in Varna, Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad and Metropolitan Kyrill of Varna, assisted by the diocesan clergy, celebrated the festive divine liturgy. The service was attended by Varna mayor Kirill Iordanov, Russian general consul in Varna A. Jarimov, and Ukrainian general consul in Varna Oleg Baranovsky.

After the service, Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad was greeted by Metropolitan Kyrill of Varna. The clergy and parishioners of the church gave their high guest an icon as a keepsake of their meeting. Metropolitan Kirill, in his turn, thanked his host for his warm welcome and addressed the congregation with a sermon on the spiritual significance of the celebrations. Metropolitan Kirill gave an icon of the Holy Trinity to the cathedral and a pectoral icon to the ruling bishop.

A reception was given afterwards at the Varna diocesan administration. During the reception, Metropolitan Kirill answered questions from local journalists covering the visit of the chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations to Varna.

Later that day Metropolitan Kirill met with Varna Governor Petr Kandilarov. His Eminence Kirill told him about his visit to Varna and the good relations established between the Varna diocese of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church and the Smolensk diocese of the Moscow Patriarchate. The governor, in his turn, explained to the high-ranking guest the socio-economic situation in the Varna area and the ways in which the secular and ecclesiastical authorities cooperated in his territory.

In the morning of August 16, 2005, Metropolitan Kirill left Varna for the Bulgarian capital city of Sofia. He was seen off at the Varna airport by Metropolitan Kyrill of Varna.

During his short stay in Sofia, Metropolitan Kirill met with the Russian ambassador A. Potapov. On the same day, before his departure for Moscow, Metropolitan Kirill answered questions from Bulgarian journalists.