site.btaVisiting Vatican's Secretary of State Parolin Holds Meetings with Bulgarian Officials

Visiting Vatican's Secretary of State Parolin Holds Meetings with Bulgarian Officials

Sofia, March 21 (BTA) - Prime Minister Boyko Borissov Monday conferred with the Vatican's Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who is paying a visit to Bulgaria at the invitation of the Government and the Catholic Church in Bulgaria. "We value highly the relations with the Holy See and I am glad that today's meeting is an expression of their successful development," Borissov told his guest.

Cardinal Parolin's visit is the first visit to Bulgaria of a Vatican's Secretary of State in the last ten years.

Prime Minister Borissov expressed his gratitude for the Holy See's good will not only to continue the interstate dialogue at the highest possible level but also to support the traditional meetings on the occasion of May 24, the Day of Slav Letters, between the Pope and the Vatican's Secretary of State, on one hand, and Bulgarian state, government and parliamentary delegations, on the other. Borissov thanked for the solving of the issue with the divine services for the Bulgarian Orthodox community in Rome through their authorization at the San Paolo alla Regola Church.

Borissov said he shares the Pope's concerns over the aggravated humanitarian crises in the world, and underscored the significance of the initiatives for finding a peaceful solution to the existing conflicts.

Approached by journalists after the talks with PM Borissov, Cardinal Parolin said that peace is the most important message nowadays. Asked whether his visit means that Pope Francis will soon come to Bulgaria, the guest explained that he is in Sofia in relation to the 25th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between Bulgaria and the Holy See. "This does not automatically mean there will be a visit by the Holy Father," he said, adding that he will tell Pope Francis about the desire for such a visit expressed by the Catholic community in Bulgaria.

Later on Monday President Rosen Plevneliev awarded the guest with the highest Bulgarian state honour, the Order of the Balkan Range, First Class, for Parolin's exceptional contribution in strengthening and furthering the relations of friendship and cooperation between Bulgaria and the Holy See.

"Bulgaria attaches great importance to its relations with the Holy See as a sovereign country, moral pillar and humanitarian leader at global level. Bulgaria earnestly wishes that the existing excellent dialogue is advanced further in the strive to build a more humane world protecting the weak and the vulnerable," Plevneliev said.

The head of State noted the millennial history of the relations between Bulgaria and the Vatican and the Holy See's important role in critical moments of Bulgaria's history.

Parolin spoke about the Bulgarian tradition of dialogue between the different ethnic groups and faiths. He thanked for the award and for the warm hospitality he received in Bulgaria.