site.btaItalian Town Osimo Makes Model of Sofia Church out of Wheat Ears

Italian Town Osimo Makes Model of Sofia Church out of Wheat Ears

Sofia, September 10 (BTA) - A model of the St. Sophia church woven out of 3 million wheat ears can be seen under the glass roof of the Largo space in downtown Sofia until September 17, the Day of Sofia. The church model is a gift from the Italian town of Osimo and was handed to Sofia Mayor Yordanka Fandakova Saturday by Osimo Mayor Simone Pugnaloni. Culture Minister Vezhdi Rashidov was among the official guests at the ceremony.

Over 200 Osimo residents have worked to make the model in their free time for over a year.  The weaving of different landmarks, mostly of religious content, is a tradition from the 1930s which is handed down from generation to generation at a special feast organized every year. It expresses veneration and gratitude for the Virgin Mary.

The model of St. Sophia is the first to be donated, the rest are kept at the Museum in Osimo.

After September 17, the model of St. Sophia will remain on display but will be moved to a different location which remains to be picked.

Fandakova and Pugnaloni remarked on the symbolism of the gift - the friendship and good feelings between the people in Sofia and Osimo, as well as the practical dimensions of the cooperation between them, reflected in a Memorandum of Understanding signed in Osimo on August 6.

Opera prima Raina Kabaivanska, who has been teaching at the local academy for years, will be declared honorary citizen of Osimo at the town's feast day next week, Pugnaloni said.

Later on Saturday, the Culture Minister presented Pugnaloni with the highest honour of his Ministry, the Golden Age badge. Pugnaloni said it came as a nice surprise to him and will make him work even harder to enhance the bilateral cultural relations.