An
exhibition entitled “The Cross in European Culture”, organised by the embassy
of Ireland at the National Ethnographic Museum in Sofia, is being held from May
13 to 27.
All the
countries of the European Union have significant Christian traditions, and
these traditions are reflected in the rich variety of Crosses to be found
within the EU, a media statement by the Irish embassy said.
The
exhibition will bring together actual Crosses and photographs of Crosses from
the various countries of the EU.
On May 13,
The Most Reverend Michael Jackson, Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin, will
open the exhibition and give a key-note address.
Early
mediaeval Ireland was famed throughout Europe for its spiritual vitality and
Irish monks travelled around the continent, the statement said. Such saints are recalled with affection to
this day in France, Germany, Austria, Italy, and elsewhere.
“This
exhibition would be a means of displaying central elements of Ireland’s
cultural heritage, so significant for the history of Europe, in an
international context. In particular there will be an unprecedented and
exciting interplay between Irish and Bulgarian artistic and religious
traditions. These two countries from
different edges of Europe have both found inspiration throughout their
turbulent and tragic histories in the power of the Cross.”
To bring
together the artistic and spiritual traditions of Ireland and Bulgaria in this
unprecedented combination and place both in a rich European context will be a
memorable way to mark the Irish Presidency of the EU, the statement said. “The
exhibition will emphasise both common roots and rich diversity within our
European home”.
The
National Ethnographic Museum is at 1 Knyaz Alexander 1 Square.
