A centenarian, Dobri Dobrev is a beggar who has become a celebrated saint in Bulgaria, for donating his alms collection of tens of thousands of euros to the Bulgarian Orthodox Church
A 100-year-old beggar in a threadbare coat, Dobri Dobrev, is already celebrated as a saint in Bulgaria a symbol of goodness in a country ravaged by poverty and corruption. For over 20 years, Dobri has been begging on the streets of Sofia, collecting alms worth tens of thousands of euros. And he has given it all to the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. This has made him the largest private donor of the golden- domed Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, even as he maintains an ascetic lifestyle. “He gave us 35,700 leva (€18,250 / $24,900) in 2009, while living a life deprived of all comfort,” says Bishop Tikhon, Chairman of the Cathedral’s trustees board. Several smaller monasteries and churches also say that they have received between 2,500 and 10,000 euros from the small man wearing peasant leather sandals. It was only recently discovered that he has donated every penny he has collected over 40,000 euros towards the restoration of decaying Bulgarian monasteries and churches, and the utility bills of orphanages. Incredible as it may sound, he has been living entirely off his monthly state pension of €80 and the kindness of others. These sums are considerable in Bulgaria, which remains the European Union’s poorest member seven years after joining the bloc, and where an average monthly income is about 420 euros.
The background of this man, who refuses any interviews, is patchy. Born in the summer of 1914, he partially lost his hearing in one of the bombings of the Bulgarian capital during World War II. “This made him pious in his own way,” said Elena Genova, a distant relative, in their native village of Bailovo, 40 km east of Sofia. She affectionately calls him ‘Grandpa Dobri’ and often helps him count the alms he has collected.
The old man lives in a small room furnished simply with a bed and a table, next to the church in Bailovo, which was renovated with the 10,000 leva that he donated. Dobri opens and closes the church every morning and night. Although there is a bed, he prefers to sleep on the floor and does not want to use any modern day facility. On the table in the modest room, there is only a piece of bread and a slice of tomato, but they are enough for him to survive another day. Now one of his daughters takes care of him.
The old man lives in a small room furnished simply with a bed and a table, next to the church in Bailovo, which was renovated with the 10,000 leva that he donated
On cold and uninviting winter mornings, he can be seen with the sleeves of his tatty old black coat rolled up, carrying buckets full of sand and boards around the churchyard which is piled with lumber and tools around. The roof repair is now finished, but there is still work to be done to restore the old building. Despite his old age, he actively helps in the hard work of reconstruction and maintenance.
While he was young, Dobri Dobrev regularly travelled the distance from Bailovo to Sofia on foot. It exceeds 25 km, but he now cannot rely on his legs and uses a bus. Keeping in mind his selfless service, drivers often do not even ask him for a ticket. He relies on the generosity of passers-by to give him food for the day. In the summer, Dobry is often seen eating a ripe watermelon. He spends his days asking people for money, but he doesn’t keep a cent. The old man radiates kindness and meekness. He is ready to kiss a child’s hand with a smile. He loves to talk about God with every passer-by. When someone drops a coin into his box, he thanks them from the core of his heart, for the charity.
The media has dubbed Dobri “The Living Saint from Bailovo”, and his name which comes from the Bulgarian word for “good” has become a symbol for goodness in a country where religious faith has been on the rise since the fall of communism 25 years ago. “God gave him the gift of clairvoyance: he told one mother where to find her missing daughter,” added Maria Zabova, who rings the bells at Alexander Nevsky.
He does not rely on strangers to save his body, but he wants to save their souls. A man like him, who has forgotten his needs and is raising money for a lofty mission, can’t be called a beggar. To donate to the church means to ensure the future of generations, without expecting anything in return. He is a living angel and a saint, who is worthy of worship.
The above story is featured in “Unsung Heroes-Real stories to inspire you” ISBN 978-81-7108-902-4 by Maj (Retd) Pradeep Khare (pradeepkhare2011@ gmail.com) .It is published by Better Yourself books, Mumbai
by Maj (Retd) Pradeep Khare
