Pope Francis Sends Message of Health and Prosperity to Bulgarian People

President Rumen Radev was received by Pope Francis, as traditionally each year the head of the Roman Catholic Church gives audience to Bulgarian representatives due to the Day of Slavonic Alphabet and Culture, reported BNR.

Radev gifted to the Pope with an icon of the Holy Brothers St. St. Cyril and Methoius who are also patrons of Europe for the Catholic Church.

After the audience Radev was also received by Vatican's Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin. The head of state and the delegation which he led laid wreaths in front of the monument of Ivan Vazov and the Holy Brothers Cyril and Methodius. They are about to visit the San Clemente Basilica and also the Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica, where in the 9th century Pope Adrian ll blessed the Bulgarian alphabet, books and the deed of the Holy Brothers.

The delegation is also going to visit the San Paolo ala Regola temple, granted by the Vatican for services to the Bulgarian Orthodox Church Community in Rome.