Catholics in Bulgaria fondly remember their meeting with Francis

Shepherd of the soul, priest of all with open hearts, modern prophet – these are some of the definitions with which Pope Francis remains in the memory of people regardless of affiliation and faith. In 2019, he visited Bulgaria, choosing his visit to pass under the sign of peace.

"Peace on Earth" – the title of the encyclical Pacem in terris by the "Bulgarian" Pope John XXIII became the motto of Pope Francis' three-day stay in this country, during which the head of the Roman Catholic Church sent his message of peace to the world. He did this in the presence of Catholics, Orthodox, Protestants and representatives of other faiths during the Sunday liturgy on Sofia's Alexander Battenberg Square.

"This is an eternal message, because there are still conflicts and wars in the world," Father Paolo Cortesi, a parish priest in Belene, told Radio Bulgaria. "Let us use the weapon of prayer to stop these wars everywhere and for people to live in brotherhood, to create good brotherly ties. We are members of one family, but, unfortunately, since Cain and Abel we have been getting into arguments and conflicts, so let us all work for peace and be peacemakers."

Upon his arrival in Bulgaria in May 2019, Pope Francis met with Patriarch Neophyte, President Rumen Radev and members of parliament. He also gave support and love to migrants from a refugee center, and the next day he travelled to Rakovski, where the largest Catholic community in this country awaited him.

Pope Francis in the Vrazhdebna refugee center (2019)

In the town, located not far from Plovdiv, Pope Francis visited the ancient church "St. Archangel Michael", whose foundation stone was laid in 1887. In the church "Sacred Heart of Jesus" he gave first communion to 250 Bulgarian children.

Pope Francis visited the ancient church of St. Archangel Michael

These days, the residents of Rakovski keep a precious memory of the visit of Pope Francis:

"It was on St. George's Day and it was very exciting when he arrived in our town. He was a very down-to-earth person, he came down among the people, blessed us. And most importantly – he always said: ‘love and peace’, ‘let us all believe!’”, a resident of the town says.

"And the children who received their first communion were very happy."

"It was very nice – a warm day in May and the whole town had come out. We love our holy fathers and the whole town welcomed him with great joy. He passed right along our street and we were very happy. I will remember him for wanting peace for all. These wars are killing us."

Father Ivelin Genov from the church "Sts. Peter and Paul" in Hisarya was among the priests who welcomed him in Rakovski. Speaking to reporter Kremena Daneva he recalled these moments.

Pope Francis in Rakovski

"A wonderful memory with deep traces of faith and hope that he left in me then, but also in all those children who came from all over Bulgaria to receive their first communion. The Pope spoke in accessible way to the hearts of everyone, as well as during his entire pontificate. He touched us with the hope that he inspired in us, with the fact that he was always open to people, to those who are on the periphery of life, and as a good shepherd he went to find them and bring them the light of Christ,” says the priest, for whom the most important papal message is for peace in times of fratricidal wars. “The Pope told us that peace is not an acquisition, but a gift from God. He said that in order to gain peace with others, we need to make some kind of compromise."

Father Paolo Cortesi also keeps a precious memory of his only encounter with the Pope, in which the spiritual leader shook his hand:

"It was in Rakovski, when together with the youth from Belene we personally presented Pope Francis with the icon of the four Bulgarian martyrs, Bishop Evgeni Bosilkov and Fathers Pavel, Kamen and Josaphat. We had a quick chat and he was very happy, and I will forever keep this memory in me that I placed our Bulgarian martyrs in the hands of the Pope. I can be proud and happy about this."

"Pope Francis was an extremely bright person, a wonderful man. He was interested in all our problems, everything related to Bulgaria, and our compatriots felt it," Monsignor Strahil Kavalenov, bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Nikopol, has told the Bulgarian National Radio. He was delegated to represent the Bulgarian Catholic Church during the Pope's funeral.

Before parting with the Bulgarian people and leaving for North Macedonia, Pope Francis also sent a message of peace from "Little Jerusalem" - the space enclosed between the Orthodox and Catholic churches, the synagogue and the mosque in the Bulgarian capital. Later, Iva Mihaylova, spokesperson for the Catholic Church in Bulgaria, said that Pope Francis has repeatedly shared his desire to visit Bulgaria again.

The priest from Belene believes that the next pope will continue the work of his predecessor.

"Actually, the Holy Spirit and God continue the work both through the popes and through all of us,” Father Paolo Cortesi adds. “He will probably take something (from Pope Francis - ed.), but like every pope he will surprise us with his style or some directions. I hope that he will be an exceptional person like the previous leaders of the Catholic Church. I grew up with Pope John Paul II, then with Benedict XVI. Before that there was the “Bulgarian” Pope Roncalli and Pope Paul VI - all of them deserve to be heard not only by us Catholics, as they speak to the whole world and to all people of good will."

When someone dies, we Bulgarians say "May God forgive them". "I think that in these cases we can also say "May God raise him", Father Paolo Cortesi adds:

"We are in the days of the Resurrection. We hope that God will resurrect Pope Francis and all the deceased believers and one day we will communicate again. Therefore, let sadness turn into joy and the expectation of seeing the Pope again. We are in the jubilee year of hope, which is his last legacy. He gave us this jubilee year and in it we must rejoice, because Christian hope tells us that we are eternal."

The Holy Father has ruled the Roman Catholic Church for 12 years - a period in which he visited 67 countries on all continents, including Bulgaria. On his last Easter, he appeared before the believers gathered in St. Peter's Square with an omophorion with Orthodox crosses and a Bulgarian rose, received as a gift during his visit to Bulgaria. In his will, Pope Francis expresses his will to be buried in the Cathedral of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, where he prayed before the icon of the Virgin and Child before and after his trips abroad, as well as at every important event. The place is sacred for every Bulgarian, because it was in this basilica in 868 when Pope Adrian II solemnly consecrated our alphabet and the liturgical books in the Slavic-Bulgarian language brought by the Holy Brothers Cyril and Methodius.