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Pope Leo XIV appears at a Catholic celebration wearing his Bulgarian omophorion

Photo: BGNES

Pope Leo XIV appeared last night in the Vatican Gardens wearing an omophorion gifted to him by Bulgarian Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov, the Catholic Church in Bulgaria reported. The prime minister presented the omophorion during his recent visit to the Vatican on 24 May, the Day of Saints Cyril and Methodius, which also celebrates the Bulgarian alphabet, education, culture, and Slavic literature.

The omophorion, a liturgical garment, was crafted by Bulgarian designer Nina Dimitrova. It features embroidered symbols of deep spiritual significance — a cross, a rose, and the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. BTA, citing the Catholic Church in Bulgaria, reminds us that Nina Dimitrova also designed and crafted the omophorion gifted to Pope Francis by Boyko Borisov during his visit to Bulgaria in 2019.

Папа Лъв XIV, 31 май 2025 г.

The head of the Roman Catholic Church wore the Bulgarian omophorion during the Feast of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary to her relative Elizabeth, according to the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA).



Editor: Diana Tsankova
Posted and translated by E. Radkova
Photos: BTA, BGNES


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