site.btaParliament Chair Holds Talks with Mount Athos' Leadership

Bulgaria appreciates the commitment of the leadership of Mount Athos to promote and enrich dialogue, tolerance and understanding among believers, said National Assembly Chair Rosen Zhelyazkov on Wednesday. He and the delegation he led held talks with Mount Athos' leadership on the day that marks Mount Athos' liberation from Ottoman rule, the parliament's press office noted.

The Bulgarian delegation also attended the service at the Protaton church in Mount Athos's capital Karyes. They are on a traditional visit to Mount Athos for the feast of the Zographou Monastery.

The delegation includes Parliament's Deputy Chair and Vazrazhdane MP Tsoncho Ganev, the chairman of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs and GERB-UDF MP Radomir Cholakov, Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria MP Hristo Daskalov, Socialist MP Rumen Gechev, There Is Such a People MP Stanislav Bogdanski and Tihomir Stoychev, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Zhelyazkov praised the multifaceted efforts of the leadership for the good of the Orthodox Church, as well as for its role in the peace and stability of the Christian community in the world. “We applaud the efforts to preserve spirituality, faith and the word of God, making Mount Athos a centre of attraction for pilgrims from all over the world,” said the National Assembly Chair. He expressed Bulgaria's support for the noble spiritual work on Mount Athos and the country’s readiness to cooperate for the good of the Orthodox Church, and stressed his satisfaction with the delegation's opportunity to participate in the celebration of Saint Great Martyr George the Zographou Monastery, closely linked to Bulgarian history, the release pointed out.

Later, the Bulgarian delegation will visit the monastery and talk with the monastic brotherhood. Zhelyazkov will travel back to Bulgaria while the MPs will attend the evening service and the vigil at the monastery.

On November 16, the MPs will participate in the solemn service on the occasion of the Monastery's feast day and will join the procession with the miracle-working icon of St. George.