site.btaCharity Dinner Raises Funds for Construction of Bulgarian Church in London 

A charity dinner was held in the Belgravia Room of London's Lanesborough Hotel on Thursday to support the building of the new St. John of Rila church, which is to be erected just metres away from the Royal Albert Hall in London, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church said Saturday. 

The dinner was organised by prominent members of the Bulgarian community in the United Kingdom, under the blessing of Metropolitan Antony, and under the auspices of Bulgarian Ambassador to the UK Marin Raykov and with the support of Kyril, Prince of Preslav.

There were performances by young musicians and world-famous violinist Mila Georgieva, who performed on a Stradivarius violin.

During the dinner, a video address was broadcast to the guests by Ivaylo Kunev, who reminded them of the famous and generous industrialists of Bulgarian history, such as Pencho Semov, Nencho Palaveev, Mito Orozov, Pimen Zografski, among others, calling on them to follow the example of their ancestors and support the construction of the new church and home for all Bulgarians in the heart of London.

The dinner guests raised over GBP 140,000 for the interior decoration of the new church. Fundraising continues.