Pope John Paul II Arrives in Bulgaria - 2002-05-23

Pope John Paul II, the leader of the world's Catholics, arrived in Bulgaria after a short trip to Azerbaijan. Although the Roman Catholic population in Bulgaria is very small, about 1 percent of the total population, Bulgarian officials have made every effort to ensure a warm welcome while maintaining security measures. Authorities have ordered a security perimeter around the center of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, where the Pope is set to give his first speech. Bulgarian officials hope that the Pope's visit will improve the country's image, which was tarnished during the assassination attempt on the Pope in 1981. In Bulgaria, the Pope will meet with leaders of the Orthodox Church and Roman Catholics. Pope John Paul II, expressing that he still loves the people of Bulgaria, closed another chapter of the Cold War. He made this statement yesterday despite claims that Bulgarian agents were involved in the failed assassination attempt on him in 1981. The Pope arrived in Sofia yesterday to begin a four-day visit to Bulgaria. It is believed that Bulgarian secret agents were working for the Soviet KGB in 1981 when the Pope's support for the Polish democracy movement worried Moscow. Three Bulgarians who allegedly assisted a Turkish armed man in the shooting attempt against the Pope were acquitted in an Italian court due to lack of evidence. Today, Pope John Paul II will meet with the leader of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church in Sofia. The Pope hopes to make progress in healing the rift between Catholicism and Eastern Orthodox faith during this meeting. It is expected that the leader of the world's Catholics will also meet with Muslim and Jewish leaders during his visit to Bulgaria. The Pope plans to visit the Rila Monastery, a historic and mountainous base of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, tomorrow and will hold a Eucharistic ceremony in the second-largest city in Bulgaria on Sunday.