In an audience with President Radev, Pope Francis wished the Bulgarian people health, peace and prosperity

Stopping the bloodshed in Ukraine and Gaza - these are the biggest challenges facing humanity at the moment, which Pope Francis and President Rumen Radev have discussed. The Bulgarian Head of State and the delegation he leads were received this morning, May 23, by His Holiness Pope Francis. The Presidents of Bulgaria and North Macedonia were one after the other in audience with the Pope, but were unable to meet because of their busy schedules. President Radev said that he expected a change in North Macedonia's rhetoric and an end to hate speech as soon as possible and invited Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova to visit Bulgaria.

As part of the tradition, the head of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis, received a Bulgarian delegation on the occasion of the Day of the Holy Brothers Cyril and Methodius (May 24). Before President Rumen Radev, His Holiness wished the Bulgarian people health, peace, prosperity and more children.

In a one-on-one conversation, Pope Francis and President Radev discussed the greatest challenge facing humanity at the moment.

Rumen Radev, President of the Republic of Bulgaria:"The wars in Ukraine and Gaza and the killing of thousands of innocent people should stop. This requires awareness, it requires a lot of sense, it requires the efforts of the entire international community to seek ways for peace based on international law."

The Head of State stressed that the two have similar positions:

"...that it is time for reason because we have seen that peace cannot be achieved by economic and military means alone. It is time for diplomacy at last."

Pope Francis has also sent a special message to the Bulgarian people.

"Today he wished us good health, peace and prosperity, he wished us more interesting things. The Pope is familiar with our problems and I literally say he wished for more children. He said: may your young people be more rooted in Bulgaria and may the knowledge they receive be directed towards the future so that the nation succeeds. He expressed the wish that we also take care of the elderly because they deserve our respect.," he said.

This is the message of one of the gifts that President Radev received from Pope Francis.

The gift for the Pope was an original icon of the Saints Cyril and Methodius from 19th century.

President Rumen Radev: Bulgaria soon expects a change in the rhetoric in the Republic of North Macedonia and finally an end to hate speech

After the Bulgarian delegation, Pope Francis also met with the delegation of the Republic of North Macedonia. Although the presidents of the two countries did not manage to see each other, Rumen Radev said it was a positive sign that Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova had shown a desire for such a meeting:

"My message to North Macedonia’s President is that Bulgaria expects a change in rhetoric as soon as possible, as well as an end to hate speech. The Republic of North Macedonia should show that it really wants to be part of a united Europe by fulfilling all the EU's requirements. Only through dialogue will we strengthen our trust in each other and resolve all the contentious issues and open the door of the Republic of North Macedonia to the EU, I hope this meeting will happen soon."

The Bulgarian delegation attended a Divine Liturgy in the San Clemente Basilica, where the holy brothers Cyril and Methodius served for the first time in the Slavic language. Later, the President visited the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, where in the 9th century Pope Adrian II blessed the Bulgarian alphabet, Bulgarian books and the work of the holy brothers Cyril and Methodius.

Images by BTA, Presidency