Pope Benedict XVI has received in the Apostolic Palace the president of the National Assembly Tsetska Tsacheva and the official delegation led by her for the celebrations dedicated to May 24th. The lively discussion held in the Pope’s library took longer than the time reserved for the visit. “I am still under the strong emotional influence of the conversation with the Pope. The dialogue we had made me feel the warm attitude of the Holy Throne (Crown) towards Bulgaria and the Bulgarian people. I have sensed personally the strong presence of the two brothers St.St. Cyril and Methodius at the Vatican and the appreciation for their deeds and I felt truly proud of the recognition that Bulgaria enjoys. With all my heart, I wished Pope Benedict XVI to continue the work of his predecessor, His Beatitude John Paul II, for the reopening of the church towards the young generations in particular and for the establishment of new bridges between the different religions and churches. This I think is the way to reach common good for all mankind”.  

After the conclusion of her private audience with the Pope, Tsetska Tsacheva introduced the members of the Bulgarian delegation. The Holy Father welcomed the delegates of Bulgaria.

“I would like to express my respectful greetings to the official delegation of Bulgaria, led by the head of its parliament, who, by an established tradition, has arrived here for the official Mass dedicated to the holy brothers St.St Cyril and Methodius. The much awaited by me visit of the delegation gives me the opportunity, this year again, to underscore the spiritual and cultural importance of the two brilliant and prominent Evangelists of Europe, cherished as much in the East as in the Ouest. Their courageous preaches throughout the Continent contributed to the enormous spiritual renewal and laid the grounds for the freedom and unity of Christian Europe. Cyril and Methodius served as “living gospels” and eloquent testimonies of the Holy Mercy, the reason why their words reached the people of their time with ease”, said the Pope.

Members of the delegation included the National Assembly’s vice-presidents Hristo Biserov and Pavel Shopov, the chair of the Committee on Human Rights, Religious Denominations, Citizens’ Complaints and Petitions Yordan Bakalov, the deputy chair of the GERB parliamentary group Todor Dimitrov and the MP Andrey Pantev. The delegation included also cabinet members, representatives of the Holy Synod and the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, members of the Catholic Church and prominent Bulgarian scholars and cultural figures.

National Assembly President Tsetska Tsacheva gave as present to Pope Benedict XVI a bronze sculpture of John the Baptist and a picture of the Cathedral “St. Alexander Nevsky” in Sofia. The art objects are works of Bulgarian artists. The Pope offered to Tsetska Tsacheva a replica of the mid 15 century Central Gate of the Vatican’s St. Peter’s Basilica.

On May 24^th – the Day of the Bulgarian education, culture and Slavonic alphabet the Speaker of the Bulgarian parliament and the delegation will pay respects at the tomb of St. Cyril in the Basilica of St. Clemente in Rome and will attend the Mass in his memory.  Later the Bulgarian Speaker of parliament is to lay wreath on the tablet of official recognition of the Slavic and Bulgarian books in the Basilica of Santa Maria Majore.  

The Bulgarian delegation is scheduled to visit the church of St Vikentii and Anastasia, where the Bulgarian orthodox community holds services. At the time of his visit to Bulgaria the late Pope John Paul II announced that the Holy Crown concedes the church to the Bulgarian community.