Bailovo, Bulgaria, February 18, 2022
Photo: bg-patriarshia.bg
Elder Dobri Dobrev, known around the world for his great love and sacrifice of charity to the Bulgarian Orthodox Church and people, reposed in the Lord four years ago, at the age of 103.
On Sunday, the blessed Elder was prayerfully commemorated in his home village of Bailovo, where he is buried.
An icon of charity, Elder Dobri came under the spotlight when it was revealed that for years he had walked more than 12.5 miles to Sofia to beg for money and then donate it for charity.
Photo: bg-patriarshia.bg After spending years at the entrance of the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral with a plastic cup in his hand, he collected about BGN 40,000 ($23,250 today) for the cathedral in Sofia, BGN 10,000 ($5,815 today) for the Sts. Cyril and Methodius Church in Bailovo, and BGN 25,000 ($14,530 today) for the restoration of the Eleshnishki Monastery of the Mother of God located to the east of Sofia, and the local church of the Gorno Kamartsi village.
The Divine Liturgy on Sunday was celebrated by His Grace Bishop Polycarp of Belogradchik, vicar of the Sofia Metropolis, together with local clergy, reports the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.
After the Liturgy, His Grace celebrated a memorial service for the repose of the soul of Elder Dobri, followed by memorial prayers at his grave in the church yard, opposite the cell where he spent so many hours in prayer.
In his sermon on the Gospel reading of the Publican and the Pharisee, Bp. Polycarp emphasized the importance of humility, pointing to the example of Elder Dobri, who showed himself humble and patient, for which the Lord rewarded him with His grace. God always sends examples like Elder Dobri to show that the spiritual life is for everyone and that it’s possible to become children of God even today, the hierarch emphasized.
He also urged those present to never forget Elder Dobri, but to remember him and keep him as an example along the spiritual path to salvation.
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