Bulgarian Holy Synod Awards PM Borisov with Highest Order

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov (L) with Bulgaria's Patriarch Neofit. Photo by BGNES

Bulgaria's Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has been handed out the Order of St King Boris the Baptizer, the highest order awarded by the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, the government press service has said.

The award is usually given to politicians and orthodox church leaders who are considered to have significant contribution to the development of the church.

Late Patriarch Maxim received the order in 1979, so did Russian Patriarchs Pimen (1974), Alexiy II (1998) and incumbent Kiril (2012).

Among political bearers of the order are President (2002-2012), former PM Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha and Russia's head of state Vladimir Putin.

An official ceremony will be held on May 2 to give Borisov the award. This date marks the 1145th anniversary of the foundation of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.