site.btaExpatriates in Hungary Mark Bulgarian-Hungarian Friendship Day

Bulgarians in Budapest celebrated the Bulgarian-Hungarian Friendship Day with a series of events. The day is marked every year on October 19, when the Bulgarian Orthodox Church commemorates St. John of Rila, Gabriela Hadzhikostova, Deputy Chair of the Bulgarian Republican Self-Government, responsible for the cultural life of the Bulgarian community in Hungary and its press organ Bulgarian News, told BTA. “.

On October 17, wreaths were laid at the monument of Metropolitan Boris of Nevrokop in the courtyard of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church of St. Cyril and Methodius in Budapest in the presence of the Deputy Secretary of State for National and Religious Communities, Miklos Soltesz. Metropolitan Boris of, whose canonization procedure is currently underway, contributed to the organization of the Bulgarian community at the beginning of the 20th century and played a huge role in the establishment of the Society of Bulgarians in Hungary and the Bulgarian school, Hadzhikostova recalled.

On October 19, representatives of Bulgarian organizations and institutions in Hungary visited the cathedral in Esztergom, where they laid flowers at the memorial plaque of St. John of Rila.

In the evening, an exhibition titled “Progressive threads” was unveiled at the Gallery B8 of the Bulgarian Cultural Centre, featuring textile works and tapestries by Bulgarian and Hungarian artists.

The guests were welcomed by the Chairman of the Bulgarian Republican Self-Government, Dancho Mousev.

The exhibition was unveiled by art historian Marton Keppel, who spoke of the history of the festal day and the reason why the parliaments of the two countries had chosen this particular saint as the thread shared by the two nations. 

The evening continued with a concert of St. Ephraim Choir at the St. Cyril and St. Methodius Bulgarian Orthodox church, Hadzhikostova said. The choir with distinctive sounding is the bearer of numerous awards and gives concerts across Europe and around the world. It has 18 albums behind its back, ranging from Byzantine chants and classical music to acapella pop songs and crossover arrangements, Hadzhikostova adeded.

Hristo Polendakov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Bulgaria to Hungary, Dimitar Tanev, President of the Society of Bulgarians in Hungary, and Plamen Peikov, Director of the Bulgarian Cultural Institute were official guests at the ceremony.

At the same time, a concert of the Csikszerda Choir dedicated to the Friendship Day of the two peoples and Hungary’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union was held in the aula of St. Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia. The concert in the Bulgarian capital was organized by the Liszt Institute here.