It was a happy occasion for the royal family of Bulgaria this week as little Simeon Hassan - the 11th grandchild of the country's former tsar - was baptised in the chapel of the royal residence of Tsarska Bistritsa, in the southwest of the Eastern European country.
Princess Kalina and her Spanish humanitarian husband Kitin Muñoz, who are now based in Spain, had brought their one-year-old son back to the country of his birth for the ceremony. It is the first of seven sacraments that mark entry into the Christian Orthodox faith.
Present at the ceremony were Kalina's parents, former Bulgarian Tsar Simeon III and his wife Margarita. Princess Irene of Greece was chosen by Simeon's parents to be godmother, while King Mohammed of Morocco is to serve as godfather. Although the king was unable to attend, he sent along a representative.
Born on March 14, baby Simeon was the first member of the royal family to make his entrance into the world in Bulgaria for 70 years. He's also the only one of the tsar's grandchildren to be baptised an Orthodox Christian, in honour of his grandfather's religion. Kalina named the blond youngster after her father, adding the name Hassan as a nod to the late king of Morocco who was a close friend of the Bulgarian royal family.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
