site.btaPM Zhelyazkov: Importance of Holy Brothers Cyril and Methodius Has Long Transcended Boundaries of Time
The importance of the work of the holy brothers Cyril and Methodius has long transcended the boundaries of time, Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov said in his speech before the solemn liturgy at the San Clemente Basilica on the occasion of the Day of the Holy Brothers Cyril and Methodius, of the Bulgarian Alphabet, Education and Culture and of Slav Letters. “Thanks to their work and the work of their disciples, many nations started practicing Christianity,” Zhelyazkov said, the government’s press center announced on Friday.
In his speech, Prime Minister Zhelyazkov recalled the far-sighted civilizational choice of Prince Boris I to baptize the Bulgarian people, to accept the disciples of Cyril and Methodius, thereby laying the foundations of the Golden Age in Bulgarian history. “Bulgaria established itself as a bridge between the East and the West, a role it continues to play today,” Zhelyazkov added. The Prime Minister also recalled 1980, when Pope John Paul II declared Cyril and Methodius co-patrons of Europe - a recognition that has been confirmed by his successors, including Pope Francis during his 2019 visit to Bulgaria.
“Today, with the blessing of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church, Bulgarian clergy and believers perform divine services in Bulgarian at these sacred places where the first Slavic books were consecrated and the disciples of Cyril and Methodius received their missions,” Zhelyazkov said. In his words, the work of the holy brothers is not just history, "but a living heritage that inspires, unites and builds bridges in the spirit of Christian values and peace".
In the San Clemente Basilica, the most sacred place in Rome for every Bulgarian, where the relics of St Constantine-Cyril the Philosopher are kept, Prime Minister Zhelyazkov bowed before the relics. Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister laid flowers at the tomb of Pope John XXIII and the altar of St John Paul II.
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