Pope John Paul II continues his tour to strengthen links between Rome and the Bulgarian orthodox church on Saturday by visiting an orthodox monastery, where he is to meet Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg.
The Saint John of Rila monastery, about 100 kilometres south of Sofia, was a cultural centre during the middle ages and houses the tomb of King Boris III, the Prime Minister's late father.
The visit comes amid increased efforts by the Roman catholic church to heal a rift with the orthodox church, which had originally fiercely opposed the papal visit.
The pontiff on Friday offered the use of a church in Rome to the Bulgarian orthodox community in a gesture of reconciliation.
Relations between the Vatican and the orthodox church in the former Soviet bloc have been strained by accusations that the catholic church is seeking to convert orthodox believers.
The pope is keen to resolve the row so he can fulfill his long-standing ambition to visit Russia.
The Pope is later on Saturday due to return to Sofia to meet Bulgarian grand Mufti Selim Mehmed.
He will then see members of the country's 60,000-strong catholic community - a tiny proportion of the population in the former Soviet-bloc country where four out of five people follow the orthodox church.
On Sunday, the Pope plans to beatify three Roman catholic priests who were executed by the communists in 1952 after being convicted of spying.
Bureau Report
