Portugal Patriarch Greets Bulgarian PM

On Sunday, Bulgarian PM, Boyko Borisov, witnessed the consecration of the Bulgarian church St. Holy Mother of God in the town of Linda-a-Velha near Lisbon. Photo by BGNES

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov is meeting Monday with the Patriarch of Lisbon and Portugal, Cardinal Jose da Cruz Policarpo.

The Cardinal, who was appointed in 1998 by Pope John Paul II, is attributed with securing for the Bulgarian community in Lisbon the new Bulgarian Orthodox Church, which officially opened doors Sunday in Borisov's presence.

The Bulgarian PM witnessed the consecration of the Bulgarian church St. Holy Mother of God in the town of Linda-a-Velha near Lisbon.

The title Patriarch of Lisbon is an honorary title possessed by the archbishop of the Archdiocese of Lisbon. The first patriarch of Lisbon was D. Tomas de Almeida, who was appointed in 1716 by Pope Clement XI.

Later during the day Monday, Borisov will hold talks with Portuguese President Anibal Cavaco Silva and PM Pedro Passos Coelho. The subject of expanding bilateral economic and trade partnership and partnership within the EU is expected to top the agenda.

The Bulgarian delegation also includes Culture Minister, Vezhdi Rashidov, Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister, Ivan Naydenov, Bulgaria's Ambassador in Lisbon, Ivan Petrov, Bishop Antoniy, metropolitan of the Central and Western European Eparchy, and the Head of the Religions Directorate at the Council of Ministers, Emil Velinov.

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