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On 3 March 2018, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and His Holiness Patriarch Neophyte of Bulgaria met with Mr. Boyko Borissov, Prime Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria.

The Prime Minister met the Primates at the entrance to the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Bulgaria.

Mr. Borissov warmly greeted His Holiness Patriarch Kirill and His Holiness Patriarch Neophyte and noted that the Russian and the Bulgarian Orthodox Churches had made an enormous contribution to the liberation of Bulgaria from the Ottoman yoke during the Russo-Turkish war of 1877-78.

“Our peoples have excellent relations, and your visit confirms this fact,” the Prime Minister said, addressing the Primate of the Russian Church.

As His Holiness Patriarch Kirill emphasized during the meeting, the history of the liberation of Bulgaria from the Ottoman yoke and the participation of Russia and the Russian soldiers in the hard struggle for national liberation proves that the Orthodox faith, uniting the two fraternal peoples, is a great spiritual force.

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill also noted with satisfaction that these days the relationships between the Russian and the Bulgarian Orthodox Churches are developing within the same tradition which united the peoples of Russia and Bulgaria for centuries.

“Having come to Bulgaria and having been to Shipka today, I could see with my own eyes how this tradition continues. I saw flags of Bulgaria and Russia on Shipka. I did not see other flags. I think that this tradition, which originated in the depths of people’s life, is a great force. May, by the will of God, this force always unite the peoples of Russia and Bulgaria, preserving them in peace and like-mindedness, and may the relationships between the two countries develop in view of the real moods of people,” His Holiness said.

“I was happy to see joy on people’s faces today, to feel the amazing spiritual atmosphere, and to hear the wonderful words which truly show that Bulgaria cherishes grateful memory of the sacrificial heroic deed of the Russian people,” Patriarch Kirill added.

The Bulgarian Prime Minister noted that the government devotes much attention to developing church life and gives grants to restore monasteries and churches in the country. “We restore and build many churches which were blown up, and we see that our activities inspire respect among people,” Mr. Borissov said.

DECR Communication Service

Photo by Press Service of Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia