Today, Patriarch Daniel of Bulgaria met with the Speaker of the Bulgarian Parliament, Mihaela Dotsova, at the Holy Synod building.
First, Patriarch Daniel blessed the members of parliament, and then he congratulated Ms Dotsova on her election as Speaker of the 52nd National Assembly. ‘The parliament was formed quickly and without confrontation, and I hope this is a good start and that it will continue to work in the same way,’ he added.
‘Division and confrontation have dominated society in recent years. It is time for us as a nation to show that we can listen to different opinions and never forget that everyone is a human being with different views,’ Patriarch Daniel stressed. ‘We all need attention, understanding and justice. If we focus on these things, we will be able to seek unity within diversity,’ he added. ‘Let us strive to communicate with respect for one another, to unite around what is useful, and to set as our goal the national unity inscribed on the building of the National Assembly: ‘Unity makes strength,’” he told the members of parliament.
The Speaker of Parliament noted that the participation of members of parliament from all parliamentary groups in the meeting recognises the role of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church in the history of our people, and expresses a desire to develop Bulgarian spirituality. ‘Our society faces many challenges, but the greatest of these is preserving the moral foundations, virtues and values nurtured by religion,’ said Ms Mihaela Dotsova. She believes that the Church’s messages of unity should be heeded, differences should be set aside, and workable solutions should be sought. She stated that she could see a desire for the revival of political dialogue, as well as for the adoption of the necessary measures for passing quality laws. ‘Each of us can contribute to ensuring that Bulgaria prospers,’ she added.
During the discussion, it was noted that there had been insufficient time in the 51st National Assembly to adopt amendments to the Law on Preschool and School Education relating to the introduction of religious education. Members of parliament expressed their willingness to consider the possibility of children being taught such a subject at the parents’ discretion.
The Speaker of Parliament stated that, for every bill concerning the development of Bulgarian spirituality, the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church would be consulted.
The Speaker of Parliament presented the Patriarch with a pectoral cross and wished him success in contributing to the unity of the Bulgarian people and strengthening the Church’s enduring spiritual values. In return, Patriarch Daniel presented Ms Mihaela Dotsova with an icon and two books: Life and Hymnody, dedicated to Bulgarian Patriarch Neophyte; and The Legal Status of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, by Associate Professor Dr Maria Kyoseva.
