Bulgaria Bids Farewell to Great Son Dimi Panitza

Society | August 2, 2011, Tuesday // 17:34|  views

A mass was served on August 2, 2011 at the Saint Sofia Church in memory of prominent Bulgarian journalist and patriot Dimi Panitza, who died on Friday. Photo by Sofia Photo Agency

Friends, relatives, public figures and politicians filled Tuesday the St. Sofia Church to pay last respects and honor the memory of the great Bulgarian John-Dimitry Panitza.

Panitza passed away on July 29 in Paris.

The solemn mass in Sofia was served at 3:30 pm; at the same time (2.30 pm local time) another mass took place at Paris Cathedral Alexander Nevsky.

"If Communism had not ruled Bulgaria for 45 years, Dimi Panitza, grand-son of another great Bulgarian, Ivan Evstatiev Geshov, would have stayed in Bulgaria, and if he had children and grandchildren, Bulgaria could have a sixth generation of intellectuals. Dimi Panitza was one of the last heroes of the Bulgarian National Revival. A true patriot, unlike those , who just brag, but don't do anything," former Bulgarian President, Petar Stoyanov (1997-2002), said during the mass.

Another former President, Zhelyu Zhelev (1990-1997), who, together with Petar Stoyanov, signed the obituary, was also in attendance.

The mourners also included former Prime Minister, Ambassador to Washington DC, now EU Envoy to Georgia, Filip Dimitrov, current Foreign Affairs Minister, Nikolay Mladenov, Bulgaria's first EU Commissioner and Presidential hopeful, Meglena Kuneva, former Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister, Konstantin Dimitrov, and many other politicians, intellectuals, journalists.

The great Bulgarian journalist, writer, patriot and public figure, Dimi Panitza will be buried in Bulgaria, in the family tomb in Sofia on his own explicit wish, his wife Ivonne has announced.

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Tags: Dimi, John-Dimitry, journalist, Bulgarian, Panitza, sofia, Paris, Petar Stoyanov, Zelyu Zhelev

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