Yambol, Yambol Province, Bulgaria, February 19, 2025
Photo: netinfo.bg
The Yambol Deanery of the Sliven Diocese of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church has launched an interesting new initiative for children called “Save an Icon.”
The idea is to preserve icons that are printed on various household items. The project will include various creative workshops for children, reports Dobrotoliubie.
“To save icons that are printed on paper, cardboard, for example small calendars, large calendars. Previously, there was mass printing in newspapers and everywhere. Now we even find them on wine bottles, matches. These icons, wherever they’re printed, they don’t cease to be icons, and we must have respect and reverence for them,” said Fr. Ioan Petrov, the head of the Yambol Deanery.
The children will cut out these icons and repurpose them as part of artistic pieces, to save them from being destroyed.
The initiative also has an educational aspect, explained Fr. Ioan. “When children work with these icons, they learn a lot about our Orthodox faith. During the process, we have someone who explains to them who’s depicted, what our relationship is to the icon, what an icon means, etc.”
The campaign also has a charitable focus, Fr. Ioan added. Exhibitions will be organized with the icons, and the collected funds will go to people in need.
Similar initiatives have already been implemented in Sofia and Sliven, the priest added.
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