June 28, 2018 in the State Tretyakov gallery in Moscow has opened the exhibition “Masterpieces of religious art in Bulgaria”, reports patriarhiei.
Was preceded by the opening ceremony of the exhibition the singing of prayer at the Church of St. Nicholas in Tolmachi at the Tretyakov gallery. Prayer before the icon of Mother of God “three hands”, which was brought from the Bulgarian Troyan monastery especially for the beginning of the exhibition, was made by the Chairman of the Department for external Church kwazamokuhle Patriarchate, Metropolitan Hilarion, co-served by hierarchs of the Bulgarian Orthodox Arquitectonica Central and Western European Anthony and Secretary-General of the Holy Synod of Bishop Gerasimos Hmelnickogo, as well as the rector of the metochion of the Russian Orthodox Church in Sofia, Archimandrite Vassian (Zmeeva) and the rector of the Church of St. Nicholas in Tolmachi Archpriest Nikolai Sokolov.
The Church was attended by the representative of the Patriarch of Antioch to the Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia, Metropolitan filippopolsky Nifon, representative of the Bulgarian Patriarch to the Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia, Archimandrite Theoktistos (Dimitrov), the Minister of culture of Bulgaria Boil Bans, Ambassador extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Bulgaria in the Russian Federation Boyko Kotzev, the Director of the State Tretyakov gallery by I. Z. Tregulova.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the exhibition, I. Z. Tregulova gave those present the greetings of the Minister of culture of Russia Vladimir Medinsky.
Then, the participants addressed the head of the Ministry of culture of Bulgaria Boil Bans, who said: “the Spiritual bond between our Orthodox Nations has deep roots, and increasingly active in the present inspire confidence that bilateral cooperation will continue in the future. For many years an important element of the deep ties between Bulgaria and Russia was the culture. Bulgarian and Russian religious art was influenced by the Byzantine school, but today it is obvious that both people have created their own iconic style.”
Grand event of the Bulgarian-Russian cultural dialogue called the opening in the Tretyakov gallery the exhibition “Masterpieces of religious art Bulgaria,” Ambassador extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Bulgaria in the Russian Federation Boyko Kotsev. He emphasized the contribution of the State Tretyakov gallery and its leadership, the National historical Museum of Bulgaria, the ministries of culture of two countries in the organization of the exhibition.
Then turned to the audience, Metropolitan Hilarion, noting in particular:
“I’m honored to participate today in this important event in the sphere of cultural cooperation between Russia and Bulgaria — the opening of a unique exhibition of masterpieces of ancient Bulgarian icons.
The convening in Moscow this exhibition again clearly shows that the precious heritage of the peoples under the spiritual care of the Russian and Bulgarian Orthodox churches, are uniting their Holy Orthodox faith and blossomed on its base of Slavic culture is the fruit of the labors of the disciples of saints equal to the apostles brothers Cyril and Methodius, teachers of the Slavs.
Over thousands of years of Holy Orthodoxy is the common spiritual force for Bulgarians and for the peoples that came from the Kiev font of Baptism, which now make up the flock of the Moscow Patriarchate. Alternate era, fading fleeting political circumstances of this world, but remains firmly in the paternal rock of the Orthodox faith, which has long been based on our fraternal relations.
An important part of our common faith is a pious tradition of the veneration of icons. A great example of the role of icons in the life of the Orthodox world may be the history of the miraculous image of the Vladimir mother of God, who at the command of Saint Cyprian, the great son of the Bulgarian land, which was at that time Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church was moved in the XIV century in Moscow from Vladimir to protect castle from alien invasion.
It is noteworthy that next to this image is now exhibited for veneration to the faithful venerated relic of Bulgaria — the list of miraculous icons of the Mother of God “three hands” of the Troyan monastery. I am pleased to welcome arriving for the occasion in Moscow, venerable hierarchs of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church Metropolitan of Central and Western Europe, Anthony and Secretary-General of the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church Bishop Gerasimos Hmelnickogo.
I am sure that we are opening today the exhibition will be of interest to the ancient Bulgarian Church art and will contribute to strengthening good relations between the Russian and Bulgarian Orthodox churches.
God’s blessing be with all who conceived of it, and all who contributed, so it was presented in Moscow”.
“We are very happy to open this exhibition of icons in the Tretyakov gallery. As you know, the icon is a window to Heaven — said on his part, the Metropolitan of Central and Western European Anthony — We rejoice that this event will contribute to the development of relations between our two fraternal peoples.”
After the ceremony, attendees visited the exhibition “Masterpieces of religious art in Bulgaria”.
Photo: DECR communication Service