Metropolitan Athenagoras of Belgium received Metropolitan Antonios of Bulgaria on the morning of Monday, April 3, 2023.
Metropolitan Antonios was accompanied by the Bulgarian Archon, Boris Gurov, with his wife Julianna.
The visit was ceremonial, while apart from issues of common interest and issues concerning Pan-Orthodoxy, the two hierarchs discussed issues concerning the Orthodox presence of the Bulgarian diaspora in the three Benelux countries.
In the afternoon of the same day, Metropolitan Anthony and the Gurov couple attended an event of the cycle of speeches of the Holy Metropolis of Belgium “Orthodox Logos”, with the hieromonk Iakovos Simonopetritis as the main speaker.
Before the beginning of the speech, in the presence of the Bishops Dosistheos of the Patriarchate of Georgia, and Ioakeim of Apollonia, many clergymen and people, including the Ambassadors of Greece, Bulgaria, and Romania to Belgium, the Metropolitans Athenagoras, and Antonios prayed for the peace of the universe.
With this move, shortly before the feasts of Easter, the representatives of the Orthodox presences, the states, and the pious faithful in Belgium sent a message of unity and reconciliation to our suffering and crucified world, especially the struggling Ukrainian brothers who are still under the torment of war, in the hope and expectation of the Resurrection, which will be the restoration of the much-needed peace.
