Armenian Patriarch Blesses All Bulgarians

Bulgarian Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov (l) with Catholicos Karekin II, Patriarch of the Armenian Apostolic Church, during Borisov's visit to Armenia and the city of Echmiadzin in April 2012. Photo by BGNES

His Holiness, Catholicos Karekin II, Patriarch of the Armenian Apostolic Church has blessed all Bulgarians during the visit of Culture Minister, Vezhdi Rashidov to the country.

The blessing of the Patriarch was conveyed by the second-ranking priest in Armenia - Archbishop Ovanesyan. Karekin II was unable to meet personally with the Minister

"Culture cannot exist without faith. Both bring only good deeds to people. Changes in Bulgaria and in Armenia have been huge in recent years and our countries can produce culture of world-class level," Rashidov said.

The Archbishop stated that Bulgaria has always helped Armenia and voiced hope the new Armenian church building, currently under construction in Sofia, will turn into another blessing for the country.

The first Armenian church in Bulgaria was built in the 9th century in what is now Bulgaria's second largest city of Plovdiv.

The Archbishop has visited Bulgaria five times; the last one was 14 years ago.

The meeting was held in in the city of Echmiadzin, close to the capital Yerevan, where the seat of the Armenian Apostolic Church is located.

The Minister received as gift from the Patriarch an album, featuring the treasures of Echmiadzin. The Bulgarian present for Karekin II was a monstrance.

Rashidov is accompanied by popular Bulgarians with Armenian roots such as magician Antranik Arabadzhiyan - Astor, and composer Haygashod Agasyan. Astor even managed to make the Archbishop's ring "disappear" for several minutes.

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