Sunday, November 14, 2010

Russian Prime Minister Putin Visits Bulgaria; Pays Respects to Relics of St. John the Baptist

The Sofia Morning News website reports today (November 14, 2010) that Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin completed his state visit to Bulgaria yesterday by paying respect to the relics of St. John the Baptist and by meeting with His Holiness Maxim, Patriarch of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov accompanied Putin to the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in downtown Sofia -- the largest Bulgarian church named after the 13th century Russian prince St. Alexander Nevsky (1220-1263) honored as a defender of Eastern Orthodox Christianity.

Putin lit a candle and paid respects to the relics of St. John the Baptist, which had been discovered last July in the Bulgarian town of Sozopol on the coast of the Black Sea.

Patriarch Maxim, head of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, then received Putin, and thanked the Russian leader for his contribution to the development of the Russian Orthodox Church.

No comments:

Post a Comment