patriarchia.ru
Russian and Bulgarian Orthodox Churches have a long history of fraternal relations, which guarantees cooperation between the two nations, Patriarch Kirill believes. He made this statement before paying a visit to Bulgaria the day before, TASS informs.
Note that tomorrow Patriarch is heading for Sofia. His visit is timed with celebration of Bulgaria’s liberation from the Ottoman invasion in the course of the Russo-Turkish war. The activities devoted to this date are organized at the territory of Bulgaria starting 2017. The main celebrations are scheduled for March 3. At that day Saint Stephen’s peace treaty was signed returning freedom from 500th Turkish slavery to the country.
“Russia has always treated Bulgaria as a fraternal nation,” Patriarch Kirill said. He has also mentioned that Russians and Bulgarians are mainly Orthodox, besides, they have a lot in common when it comes to culture and language. Patriarch Kirill is sure that there are no complications at the international arena or political changes between Moscow and Sofia able to affect the interactions between the two churches. “Relations between Russian and Bulgarian churches have always been warm,” Patriarch said.
Recollecting the events happening 1,5 century ago, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church has mentioned that the Russian church contributed to building up public opinion influencing political decisions related to participation of Russia in military operations at the Balkans.
Patriarch Kirill has reminded that in the course of the war, ten thousands of Russian soldiers died and even more were badly injured. “However, this sacrifice was explained by the strongest and the main reason: we give our lives for our brothers in faith,” Patriarch Kirill has underlined.
Russkiy Mir
