Believe in the good old Dobri Dobrev

  

Bulgarian elder Dobri Dobrev July 14, 2014 will be, God willing, 100 years. He is known throughout Bulgaria. During his life he is called a Saint. He is an ascetic, a hermit, disinterested and at the same time, a churchwarden for many Bulgarian churches and monasteries. Collecting donations for the restoration of churches of God – that's his main occupation in the last few decades. He gives them a huge amount, it does not leave a penny. It can be seen on the streets of the Bulgarian capital in any weather, he fears neither cold nor bad weather, he is not afraid that can stay hungry, not upset, when you get people, indifferent to his charity case. His face always radiates goodness and meekness. He is ready to kiss baby's arm lowered a coin in his mug, ready to talk about God with every passerby, thanks for alms. Dobri Dobrev collects alms.



 

However, the elder Dobri is not a beggar. He doesn't want strangers saved him in his bodily needs, he wants to save their souls. Can it be called a beggar a man who is not mindful of their own needs and raising money for lofty mission, far from material goods? To give the temple means to give to future generations, to invest in the bright and godly future in the multiplication of humanity. So says the elder Dobri and has no desire gratitude and recognition. He respects people and does not hold in the soul of any evil. He sees that the world around selfish, but not in despair, and sets an example with his donations. So many before him bow. The fate of disinterested In the life of the elder Dobri much remains a mystery. The old man does not want to be famous and doesn't want to divulge details of their lives, of being.





It is enough that know him as a good man, collecting the money and donating them to the Bulgarian churches and monasteries. He did not believe that his personal life is more important than the Affairs of the public. This man with a wide-open heart was born in 1914 in the village Baylovo, known as the small homeland of another great Bulgarian – Elin Pelin. It was lost somewhere in the Western spurs of the Central mountains Ihtimansko. My grandfather Dobri four children, and two of them he has already experienced. Now one of the daughters takes care of him, though, and lives in Sofia. He does not hide the grief, which takes him about rumors that he left children without inheritance and gave away the proceeds from the sale of the family property. Therefore, details about the family, he is not divided.





About his past it is known that during the war, he became a little deaf because of the falling number of the projectile. He was encouraged to become God's pilgrim, he says. Sam Elin Pelin wrote: "my Beautiful village, nice, but very poor." A grandfather Dobri makes this place rich spiritually. How many can remember the villagers, grandpa Dobri bypasses all the churches and monasteries throughout Bulgaria, collecting donations and helping them. The villagers, almost every day seeing this the good Samaritan, it is absolutely sure that he gives every stotinki falling in love. He never wow did not leave, they are convinced. A modest home for a big soul Present the house of his grandfather Dobri is located a few steps from the house-monument of his famous countryman Elin Pelin. After all, our Holy of Baylovo has long been became an ascetic and left the comforts of his home, the heirs and relatives.





He now lives in a small little cubby in the yard of the Church in name of saints Cyril and Methodius. Though he does have a bed, but he prefers to sleep on the floor: doesn't want to enjoy any of the benefits of modern civilization. On the table in his modest room – only a loaf of bread and half a tomato, just enough to live on the current day. Dobri Dobrev at home Winter cold and unwelcoming in the morning, it can be seen with sleeves rolled up in an old black apron to drag the boards or buckets of water through the Church yard. Near the temple of the stacked piles of lumber and tools. Roof repair is finished, but there are still work to restore the old building. The money for the upgrade, of course, donated by a kindly grandfather. Despite his considerable years, he is actively helping in the hard work of the local worker.





The village Church was built by master Gancho Trifonov in 1884 and is a cultural monument. Recently, however, bilovsky father died, and now to conduct services from time to time comes the priest from the neighboring villages. Therefore, the grandfather Dobri he unlocks the Church in the morning and in the evening, locking it. Stranger from the past or... the future Dobri Dobrev In his authentic clothes, sandals and homespun coat, with long white hair and white beard the old man is seen by many as an alien from the past. It resembles the most revered ascetic of the Bulgarian Church – Saint John of Rila, than the contemporary current of immorality and corruption. It's like he's stepped here from the old times when there was good morals, and charity and faith were under a healthy Foundation. At the same time, grandpa Dobri – the stranger... from the future in the literal sense of the word, not tired to run between the native village and other parts, continuing his charitable support of the Church and spirituality. When Dobri Dobrev was younger, he often overcame foot distance from Bailovo to Sofia, which is more than 25 km But now he can no longer rely on their old legs, and uses the bus. Because it know very well, the drivers do not even take with him the money for the fare. Often to provide themselves daily sustenance, it relies on the generosity of passers-by. In the summer, sometimes you can see the grandfather Dobri given to him eating a sweet ripe watermelon. Sacred mission In recent years, grandpa Dobri often goes to the Cathedral of the Holy Prince Alexander Nevsky and the Church of saints Sedmochislenitsi in Sofia. There, he collects money needed for the restoration of the Bail of the Church of saints Cyril and Methodius – 10 thousand BGN. He has made donations for the rehabilitation of churches in the town of Kalofer and the village of Poibrene. A total of 25 million leva gave the old man the restoration of Olesnytskoho of the monastery and the rural Church in Gorno Kamartsi. However, the largest donation that contributed to the popularization of the works of the Holy elders of Baylovo, no doubt, was his contribution to the temple-monument St. Alexander Nevsky. A very large amount of 35 million leva for the largest, the Church of Bulgaria the good grandfather had collected over the years. And in may 2009, the old man found the Secretary of the Church Council of this Church Stephen Kalaydjieva and revealed to him his intention to make a large donation to the temple. As it turned out, the money penny for penny was made a close relative of his grandfather Dobri Bank account in the town of Novi Iskar. And because they together with the Secretary went to the town and began to pass one by one all branches of the Bank in search of what is stored in this donation. And after only one signing the largest in Bulgaria for the temple was the largest in its history, a donation.





Says Stefan Kalaidjiev, the donations of parishioners in an average year amount to 2-2,5 thousand leva. They are collected mainly during the holidays. The money donated by the grandfather Dobri, was updated and re-gilt the Holy see of St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, purchased new vestments and hangings, fixed the leak. In gratitude to the servants in the Church, led by father Tikhon visited the humble abode of an ascetic in Bailovo and offered him help in buying the most necessary furniture. But the Holy of Baylovo refused everything. "This is a man that collects virtues, he gathers fruit into eternal life," concludes the Secretary of the Church Council of the Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky. Above mentioned donations are only a fraction of those are known. Others are inherent and a crown of glory, whom they were going. For his gifts of his grandfather Dobri we can compare with other well known but unreal old man – Santa Claus. Grandpa Dobri brings kids dolls and cars and gives them his example, transmits them hope for the transformation of the us into a more self-respecting and spiritually uplifting people. And who no longer believes in Santa Claus, they can believe in grandfather Dobri. And it means – to believe in the good.

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