Photo BGNES, archive
“The Lord God and the Holy Church bless only that army that does not show aggression, and its sole purpose is to protect and defend its people and country, within its internationally recognized territorial borders.”
This is said in the blessing of His Holiness the Bulgarian Patriarch and Metropolitan Neophyte of Sofia for the Great Epiphany water event and sprinkling of the battle flags.
“Our Bulgarian army is like that, that’s why today our prayers to the Almighty God are for our glorious army and for its high spirit, so that it can, with God’s help, successfully fulfill its sacrificial and patriotic mission,” adds Patriarch Neofit, writes BTA.
“Invariably faithful to its care for the Orthodox Bulgarian people entrusted to it by God, and this year on the day of the Holy Epiphany, our native Orthodox Church performed the succession of the Great Epiphany and sprinkled the warriors and battle flags of the Bulgarian Army with consecrated epiphany water. A glorious army that trusts in God’s power and gracious help and protection. An army that has always been a reliable guarantor of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our dear country, Bulgaria,” he added.
According to the patriarch, the Bulgarian army remains faithful to its mission and its high vocation even in the increasingly insecure and bloody military conflict world.
“In the Lord is our hope even now, in the face of countless personal and public tragedies and the power of evil raging so fiercely. The destructive war against fraternal Ukraine, which was followed by a military conflict no less horrifying to our Christian conscience in the lands sanctified by the divine and human presence of the Savior, once again reminded us all of the importance of the army for every nation and state,” adds Patriarch Neophyte .
“May God protect free and independent Bulgaria! May the peace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit of God be with us all!”, Patriarch Neophyte points out in conclusion.
Epiphany water shrines of the battle flags were in many places in the country today. In Sofia, the ritual took place in front of the Monument to the Unknown Warrior. President Rumen Radev accepted the rank of honor of the representative units of the Bulgarian Army. Among those present at the ceremony were Vice President Iliyana Yotova, Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov, Mayor of Sofia Vasil Terziev, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Rositsa Kirova, Minister of Defense Todor Tagarev and Chief of Defense Admiral Emil Eftimov.
Working on the post:
2024-01-06 21:15:00
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