Formation during engagement and the spiritual accompaniment of married couples, a pastoral handbook for mixed marriages in Europe and the Pauline Year currently underway in Turkey are some ot the themes which will be dealt within the eight edition of the meeting of the Presidents of South-East Europe Bishops’ Conferences which will take, in Sofia (Bulgaria), from 28th February to 2 March 2008. Seven Conferences will attend: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, the International Bishops’ Conference of Saints Cyril and Methodius (Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia) and Turkey. The meeting is organised by the Council of the Bishops’ Conferences of Europe (CCEE) and is hosted by H.E. Mgr. Christo Proykov the Apostolic Exarch of Sofia and President of the Bishops’ Conference of Bulgaria. A very topical theme will be the highlight of the proceedings: Formation during engagement and the spiritual accompaniment of married couples, particularly in ‘mixed’ marriages (between a Catholic and a baptised non-Catholic) and in marriages where a disparity in worship exists (between a Catholic and a non-baptised partner). The 2008 theme follows on from last year’s reflections in Oradea (Romania) on mixed marriages and the family in Europe. During the meeting the Presidents will also reflect on the idea of a pastoral handbook for mixed marriages in Europe. Scheduled speakers are also Kalin Yanakiev, representing the Orthodox Church and the Great Mufti of Muslims, representing the Muslim Community in Bulgaria.
