On the occasion of the National day of the Holly See and the solemnity of Saint Peter and Paul, the Apostolic Nuncio in the Republic of Bulgaria,

His Eminence Archbishop Anselmo Guido Pecorari, head of the Embassy of the Holy See in Sofia, gave a reception in Sofia Hotel Balkan on June 30 in the presence of His Eminence Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches. The event was attended by His Holiness Neophit, Patriarch of Bulgaria and Metropolitan of Sofia, representatives of the Catholic Church and the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, as well as almost all the ambassadors accredited in Bulgaria.

Traditionally, every year on 29 June, the feast of the holy apostles Peter and Paul, the Apostolic Nuncio His Eminence Archbishop Anselmo Guido Pecorari, celebrates a solemn Mass in the Roman Catholic Cathedral "St. Joseph" in Sofia, attended by believers and representatives of the diplomatic corps. The liturgy is in tune with what the Pope is serving at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, where a Delegation from the Ecumenical Patriarchate is also present.

The visit of His Eminence Cardinal Leonardo Sandri in Bulgaria was at the invitation of the Episcopal Conference and was an official visit of the Catholic Church in Bulgaria. On the next day, July 1, he served the Mass in the Diocese of the Catholic Church "Our Lady of Fatima" in Pleven, attended by several ambassadors. On the third day - July 2 - the cardinal served the world liturgy in the Catholic Church "St. Archangel Michael" in the town of Rakovski. In the afternoon he met with the Maronite community of Sofia.

The photos are provided by the Apostolic Nunciature.

Above: His Eminence Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches and His Eminence Archbishop Anselmo Guido Pecorari, head of the Embassy of the Holy See in Sofia, Apostolic Nuncio, meet His Holiness Neophit, Patriarch of Bulgaria and Metropolitan of Sofia.

Bellow:

1. With H. E. Mr. Stefano Baldi, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Italian Republic, and his wife Mrs. Antonella Rensi
2. With H. E. Mr. Alberto Alfredo Manuel Trueba, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Argentina in Bulgaria, and his wife Mrs. Carina Tomassini
3. H. E. Ms. Vanessa Yvonne Calvert, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of South Africa, and H. E. Ms. Sri Astari Rasjid, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Indonesia
4. With H. E. Ms. Orietta Caponi, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, and her husband Prof. Juan Miguel Dias Ferrer
5. With H. E. Dr. Ahmed Al Madbuh, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the State of Palestine and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in Bulgaria
6. With H. E. Mr. Éric Lebédel, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the French Republic and his wife, Mrs. Brigitte Lebédel
7. Ambassadors and diplomats
8. A group photo with all the ambassadors