Forgiveness

"I don't think this wound ever heals. Some people came to me and said, 'you will forgive' and I replied, 'The priests forgive, God forgives, I don't'."

Bulgarian writer Georgi Bardarov's novel Absolvo Te, which means "forgiveness of all sins", is among the winners of the European Union Prize for Literature (EUPL). The novel was published in 2020. It intertwines the threads of several conflicts that still smoulder today.

On March 14, 2021, Bulgarians mark Sirzi Zagovezni - the day of forgiveness. The date is different every year. The feast always falls on Sundays, seven weeks before Easter.

People in Bulgaria keep the tradition to ask forgiveness to the older family members. The words that are used are "Forgive me" and the answer is "You are forgiven".

Along with Easter, Christmas is one of the two greatest Christian holidays.
It is the day when the Christian world celebrates the birth of Christ and when, according to the belief, the spirit of Jesus is omnipresent among people, bringing them peace and forgiveness.

"His God was the God of reason, the one who forgives, understands and loves. God of all of us, the one who does not divide, but unites. Love was the basis of his faith because he knew that faith and hope are impossible without love. His Serbia was the one he was creating. A Serbia of peace, which understands and gathers, which wins through work and wisdom," Vucic said.

A day after his resignation, the ultra-conservative Bishop Amvrosios of Kalavryta, who often spoken disparagaingly of gays and gained notoriety for his support of the extreme-right Golden Dawn party, declared on Monday that he has no regrets.  

During the Sunday Mass in which he announced his resignation, he had apologized for causing any upset with his statements. 

Pope Francis asked for forgiveness on Sunday in the name of the Church to the Roma community in Blaj, for the moments along the history when they were "ill-treated", "segregated", or looked at "in a wrongful manner, with the look of Cain and not with Abel's" The Pontiff met at the end of his three-day apostolic, state visit to Romania with members of the Roma community with the "Barbu Lautaru"

"Easter is a holiday of faith, optimism, love and forgiveness, and in this spirit, I wish all citizens who celebrate this greatest Christian holiday to preserve inner peace and cultivate tolerance in our society with rich diversity.

Radulovic spoke to reporters ahead of the second semi-final of the competition held in Lisbon, and when asked to tell a joke, he picked "a Ricky Gervais" one, and delivered it in broken English:

"What's the... what do the... deaf blind and... how to... deaf, blind, and speechless child gets for... Christmas? Cancer."

well ? @chegovic pic.twitter.com/KXeqca70So

Bulgarians observe Sunday a self-styled traditional 'Forgiveness Day' on which everyone asks everyone to forgive his or her misdeeds over the passed year.

The rite is centered in families and communities, in which people ask their elders, including parents and superiors to absolve whatever they have done wrong, even if they do not know it or did not intend it.