Monument to Pope Francis unveiled in Rakovski

A monument to Pope Francis was unveiled in front of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in the General Nikolaevo district of the town of Rakovski, home to one of Bulgaria’s largest Catholic communities, BNT reported.

Among those attending the ceremony were Monsignors Rumen Stanev and Georgi Yovchev, local priests and the town’s mayor, Pavel Gudzherov.

The initiative commemorates the Pope’s historic visit to Rakovski in 2019 — an event remembered by local residents as a symbol of faith, peace and humanity. During his visit seven years ago, the Holy Father celebrated Mass and gave First Communion to hundreds of children.

The bronze statue of the Pope stands 2.2 metres tall, while the pedestal is 1.5 metres high. It was created by sculptor Dishko Dishkov from Sopot. The initiative for the monument came from Mayor Pavel Gudzherov, with funding provided by the municipality of Rakovski and private donors.

Editor: Miglena Ivanova