site.btaBulgaria's First Military Research Vessel Christened Ss. Cyril and Methodius

July 27 (BTA) - Speaking at Tuesday's solemn ceremony on
raising the flag and christening the first Bulgarian military
research vessel with hull No 421, the Bulgarian Chief of
Defence, Admiral Evtim Evtimov, said: "The flag of the Bulgarian
 Navy, waved for the first time by the Danube Fleet, is also to
be projected in the Southern Ocean."  Bulgarian Oscar-nominated
actress Maria Bakalova christened the ship Ss. Cyril and
Methodius, wishing the ship to carry the glory of the Bulgarian
Navy and bear the name of the illustrious brothers, the Defence
Ministry said.
   
Admiral Eftimov addressed the leaderships of the N. Y. Vaptsarov
 Naval Academy, the St Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia and
the Bulgarian Antarctic Institute, the Defence Ministry, the
Ministry of Education and Science, as well as everyone engaged
in the process of acquisition and subsequent use of the ship. He
 also said the cadets and students of the Naval Academy will use
 it for practical courses. Turning to Bakalova, he expressed
respect for her achievements and gratitude for agreeing to
christen the ship, saying her success in a highly competitive
field would serve as a motivation for the commander and his crew
 at the execution of each mission.
   
The Chief of Defence handed the ensign of the vessel to the
ship's captain, Commander Nikolai Danailov, with the words:
"Yours is the honour and the enormous responsibility to
transform into deeds the ideas of this project." He also bade
the ship the traditional "Godspeed!"
   
The solemn christening ceremony was held on the day the
Bulgarian Orthodox Church commemorates the holy brothers Cyril
and Methodius and their five disciples. The day will also be the
 feast day of the ship. A ceremony at the solemn raising of the
ensign and the accompanying flags was held.

The Ss. Cyril and Methodius is owned by a consortium including
the Bulgarian Antarctic base, the Naval Academy, the St Kliment
Ohridski University of Sofia and the Bulgarian Antarctic
Institute./RI/BR

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