Patriarch Daniel of Bulgaria and the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church of Bulgaria members met with the President of the National Assembly, Raya Nazarian, and representatives of the parties of the 50th National Assembly, at the Holy Synod Mansion.
Patriarch Daniel blessed the members of parliament and expressed hope for constructive cooperation between the two institutions. “The union of secular and spiritual authority gives faith and confidence that through joint efforts, common benefits can be achieved,” said the Patriarch. He added that a clear conscience, and praying to God for help in correcting mistakes, brings God’s blessing and peace to the world. He emphasized that members of parliament have the responsibility to serve the people and care for the well-being of all, bearing this burden with conscientiousness. He pointed out that if there is tolerance and effort to understand in parliament, and if everyone is guided by the common good, it will unite the people. “Everyone errs, but if there is repentance, there will be progress both for the individual and for the people,” the Patriarch added.
The President of the National Assembly, Raya Nazarian, stressed the people’s need for the timeless moral guidance of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church and the example of the Patriarch for high ethics and charity. She noted that history offers many examples where the representatives of the Bulgarian people, united by a common ideal, worked for the common good and national agreement and cooperation. “In all these moments, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church has played an important and substantial role,” emphasized the President of the National Assembly. She wished the Patriarch good health and many years of beneficial spiritual activity, expressing the hope that he would guide the Church’s works with wisdom and patriotism.
The President gifted the Patriarch a replica of the parliamentary session bell from the Constituent Assembly. Patriarch Daniel, in turn, gave her an icon of the Virgin Mary with the Child and a Bible.