Subject: soc.culture.bulgaria FAQ (monthly posting) (part 8/10)
Supersedes: <bg8_825555541@cs.columbia.edu>
Date: 4 Apr 1996 20:10:32 -0500
References: <bg7_828666593@cs.columbia.edu>
Summary: This posting contains Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Bulgaria
        and their answers. It should be read by anyone who wishes to post
        to the soc.culture.bulgaria Usenet newsgroup. The FAQ consists of
        11 parts numbered from 0 to 10.

Last-Modified: January 28, 1996
Posting-Frequency: Monthly
Version: 4.01
Archive-Name: bulgaria-faq/part8




===============================================================================
SECTION  19:  TRADITIONS

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19-1 What are Bulgaria's national holidays 
(by Dragomir R. Radev), last updated: 
 
New Year's Day                                                 Jan  1

National Holiday (Liberation from the Turks)                   Mar  3

Easter (not on the same day as in Western Europe) 

Labor Day                                                      May  1

St. Cyril and St. Methodius Day (Education and Culture Day,    May 24
..also Day of the Slavic Heritage)

Christmas                                                      Dec 25


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19-2 Bulgarian Folk Festivals and Customs
(by Rossen Zlatev), last updated: 123191


    Many of the national customs originated in the Christian religion.
But there are also many traditions that bring with them a
spirit from ancient times. One of them is the traditional "horo" dance
which can be simple or sophisticated, gentle or wild. 
 

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19-3 Trifon Zarezan (Wine-grower's Day)
(by Rossen Zlatev), last updated: 123191

14 February. Dressed in their Sunday-best, wine-growers prune the vines
and sprinkle them with wine for a good harvest. Everyone then gathers
for a delicious meal.
 

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19-4 Martenitsas (Festival of Spring)
(by Rossen Zlatev), last updated: 123191

 
1 March. The martenitsa is a double red and white tassel sold throughout
the country and presented to relatives and friends to bring health and
happiness.
 

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19-5 What do Bulgarian celebrate on March 1 
(by by Luben Boyanov), last updated: 
 
On the first day of March, Bulgarians wish each other health and happiness
with "Chestita baba Marta" - (in English "Happy Grandma Marta"). "Marta"
comes from the word for March (Mart) in Bulgarian. This is an ancient
Bulgarian (pagan) tradition (well - I can't tell you how old but I think
that it's more than one thousand years old) and symbolizes the end of the
cold winter and the coming of the spring. Usually we put something in red
and white (a thread in the past and commercialized plastic junk at present)
on ourselves (on our wrist or clothes) and when we see the first stork
(supposed to come back from the south and not the one in the Zoo) we throw
the red and white thread on a tree. The red and white colours symbolize the
snow and the blood from an old story where, a stork brings the blessing for
health to a small child from its parents, who are far away. The giving of the
"marteniza" makes you feel to expect the Spring very soon. The "arrival" of
the stork indicates that this has happened. I don't have time now to tell
the entire story but I'm sure somebody will.
 
The lack of "real" winter and "storks" (not a lot of them in the cities :-()
raises some difficulties in implementing this tradition nowadays but
Bulgarians are still celebrating and very fond of the 1st of March (in a
traditional and "modern" way at the same time).

                      __        __
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                     \   \    /  /
                      \   \  /  /
                       \   \/  /
                        \__||_/
                           /\
                          /  \
                         /    \
                        /      \
                       /        \
                      /          \
                     X            X
                    /|\          /|\
                   //|\\        //|\\
                  ///|\\\      ///|\\\
                 ////|\\\\    ////|\\\\
                /////|\\\\\  /////|\\\\\


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19-6 What is Gergyovden
(by by Luben Boyanov), last updated: 
 
              Gergiovden - St. George's day
 
There are a lot of rituals and celebrations, concerning St. George's day
(Gergiovden). It is celebrated on the 6th of May, although some calendar
changes brought by the Orthodox Church (all dates for celebration of the
saints have been changed some time ago).
 
Saint George the Victorious ("Pobedonosez") was cannonized by the Church
because of what he has done. He is usually painted on an icon as riding a
white horse, holding a lance in his hand, stabbed in the throat of a beast
- the dragon ("lamia"). According to the legend, a dragon used to attack
the shepherds and their sheep and each time the dragon used to steal a
sheep or a lamb. The shepherds were desperate. Then St. George appeared and
killed the dragon. Since that day, the shepherds celebrate St. George
everyyear and make a "kurban" - slaughter of a lamb (sacrifice for St. George).
In every house of a village, a lamb is slaughtered. Before that some
flowers are put on the lamb's horns and even a prayer is read. All village
gates (doors) are covered with flowers. Early in the morning, people go to
the river to wash themselves. On this days, people has to check their
weight ("pretegliam se") - it has been the "only" day of the year when
people checked their weight. There has also been a tradition that people
goto a swing ("lyulka") on that day.
 
St. George's day (Gergiovden) has been pronounced (some years after the
liberation of Bulgaria) as the day of the Army - the Bravery day. The main
Army parade used to take place on this day. Recently, this festivity
has been restored.
 
As far as the 1st of May is concerned, it hasn't been a traditional
celebrational day. However, on this day everybody has been trying to cheat
somebody else (like on the 1st of April, nowadays). If one succeeds (in his
"cheating") - he says :"Mai, mai, zamayah te" (difficult to translate - a
play of words meaning - I've cheated you).
 
Traditionally on St. Paul's day (St. Pavel) - the 11th (or 29th) of June
people don't work and don't lit fires ("ogniove"). The next day is St.
Peter's day - when a chicken is to be eaten.
 
 

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19-7 What is the origin of Petkovden (by Peter Yovchev)
, last updated: 
<DEFINE FORMAT PLAIN>
<DEFINE IMPORTANCE 4>

Na 14 oktomvri e Petkovden, denyat na Sveta Petka.
Eto malqk otkqs ot BIP :

Petkovden

Prep. Paraskeva (Petka) pravoslavnata cqrkva chestva na 14 oktomvri. Tova e 
nepodvizhen cqrkoven praznik. Tja e rodena v grad Epivat-Trakija, prez X vek. 
Oshte na mladini se obricha v sluzhba na Boga. Naj-silno i povlijali 
Evangelskite slova, koito vednqzh chula v hrama: "Ako njakoj iska da vqrvi 
sled Mene, da se otkazhe ot sebe si". Celija si zhivot prep. Paraskeva 
prekarala v Jordanskata pustinja. Prez 1025 g. netlennite j moshti bili 
preneseni v Tqrnovo, a po-kqsno - v gr. JAsh - Rumqnija, kqdeto sa i do dnes.



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19-8 Lazarouvane
(by Rossen Zlatev), last updated: 123191

 
1 April. The ancient festival of youth and spring. Young women and girls
dressed in national costumes with garlands of flowers on their heads
visit all the houses in the village, chanting traditional songs, dancing
and wishing health, happiness and fertility.
 

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19-9 Koleduvane (Christmas Carol Singing)
(by Rossen Zlatev), last updated: 123191

24 December. An old national custom. Young men dressed in national
costumes go from house to house, chanting carols for health, happiness
and fertility.
 

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19-10 The Festival of Roses
(by Rossen Zlatev), last updated: 123191

 
The Festival of Roses is celebrated during the first half of June in the
Valley of Roses. Rose picking starts early, before dawn, while the roses
are still glistening with dew. The rose petals are picked before sunrise, 
otherwise the precious fragrance will be lost. Two thousand petals are
needed for a single gram of attar of roses. On the international market
seventy per cent of rose attar comes from Bulgaria. It is bought by
all the famous perfumeries and is an essential component of the best
and most expensive perfumes.
 

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19-11 New Year's traditions (in Bulgarian)
(by Iliya Talev), last updated: 122795

         "Sorcova, vesela,
         sa traesti, sa imbatranesti...
         la anul si la multi ani!.."

         [= "Surva, vesela,
         da si zdrav, da jiveesh dqlgo...
         dogodina i za mnogo godini!"]

Taka nashite severni sqsedi se survakat na vrqh Nova godina.  A v 
uchilishte sa gi uchili, che survakaneto e "dreven dakiyski obichay", 
koyto e unikalen za rumqncite... (izliza sqshto kato gaydata i 
vardarskite makedonci)!

Tazi magicheska formulirovka, ochevidno, ne e na originalniya ezik: 
prilagatelnite "sorkova, vesela" sa v jenski rod, no lipsva 
poyasnyavanata ot tyah duma - "godina"!  Kato dadem bqlgarskiya 
variant, shte vidim, che na bqlgarski frazata naistina ima zavqrshen vid, 
kakto podobava ba magicheski formuli:

         "Surva, surva godina, vesela godina...
         Jivi-zdravi dogodina, dogodina - do amina!"

Tova e originalqt - rumqnskiyat prevod e po-nov, vtorichen.  No 
obichayat e pqrvichen i u dvata naroda, dokolkoto te sa izgradeni ot 
pochti ednakvi etnicheski komponenti.

Podoben obichay namirame v nyakoi rayoni na Yujna Chuvashiya. 
Chuvashkiyat narod e amalgama na voljski bqlgari i finskoto pleme 
mordva. Ukrasenoto klonche, s koeto decata tam survakat, se naricha 
"survak", a prilagatelnoto "survali" v tezi dialecti oznachava "zdrav", 
"jiznoradosten". Po vsyaka veroyatnost ima nyakakva genetichna 
vrqzka;  standartnoto obyasnenie v bqlgarskata etnografiya, che 
"surva", "susrvachka" idvali ot "suroviya dryan", ot koyto se pravi 
survachkata, e nezadovolitelno. "Surva godina" v takqv sluchay shte e 
bezmislica.  Daje neshto poveche - nikoy nyama da pojelae na blizkite 
si "surova godina" (sravni "surovi izpitaniya")!  Az lichno sqm sklonen 
da vyarvam, che v "surva godina", "survachka", "survakari" i t.n. 
korenqt "surv-" e izolirano yavlenie v ezika, nyama drugi semantichni 
realizacii v bqlgarski i e relikva ot ezik, koyto ne razbirame. Vtorichno 
dokazatelstvo e fonetichnata  korupciya na dumata v rumqnski - 
"sorcova", duma kakto za survachka, taka i nachalna duma v 
blagosloviyata na survakarite.  Za men e yasno, che govoreshtite 
bqlgarski v Rumqniya ne sa mogli da prevedat na rumqnski dumite 
"surva", "survak", i zatova te sa absorbirani ot rumqnski spored 
fonetichnite pravila na ezika (v rumqnski, ot ukrasenata s mnogocvetni 
parcalcheta ili knijki survachka, "sorcova" znachi oshte bezvkusica - 
sinonim na izraza "kato ciganski gashti").

Bqlgarskite novogodishni obryadi se proyavyavat kakto v survakane, 
taka i v maskisrane i predskazaniya za bqdeshteto.  V tova otnoshenie 
se zabelyazva razdelyane na bqlgarskata etnicheska teritoriya na yugo-
iztochna i severo-zapadna. Maskiraneto v trakiyskite rayoni (kukerite), 
kakto i mominskoto gadaene (laduvaneto) sa svqrzani s proletnite, a ne 
s novogodishnite praznici.  Tuk zabelyazvame vrqzka s albanskoto 
"survakane".  Albanskite deca survakat na pqrvi mart, s cqfnali 
dryanovi prqchki (narecheni "lilidona"), a denyat se naricha "dita 
colindrave" [=koleden den];  magmicheskata formula e podobna na 
bqlgaro-rumqnskata, "da ste jivi i zdravi dogodina i do amina".  

Edno vqzmojno obyasnenie e, che pqrvonachalno novata godina e 
praznuvana po rimski obichay na pqrvi mart.  Po-kqsno, s vqvejdaneto 
na hristiyanskiya kalendar, pqrviyat den na godinata stava 
Vasilyovden.  Pod vliyanie na prabqlgarite, doshli ot sever, starite 
balkanski proletni novogodishni praznici se sqchetavat s prabqlgarskite 
severni, zimni  praznici. Imenno Trakiya e teritoriyata, na koyato e 
nyamalo prabqlgarsko prisqstvie, i zatova starite rimski novogodishni 
obryadi s maskirane, pantonimen teatqr, gadaene i t.n. ne se 
prehvqrlyat v zimata (no tova e samo predpolojenie).

Koeto ni e ostanalo dnes ot starite novogodishni tradicii e survakaneto i 
elementi ot gadaeneto (sqs skritata para za kqsmet v novogodishnata 
banica).  Dnes glavno deca hodyat da survakat, a v Rumqniya decata 
sa vse oshte maskirani, ili pone licata im sa dekizirani s vqglen ili 
maminoto chervilo.

Survachkata se pravi ot sveja, napqpila dryanova prqchka.  Pone edno 
klonche tryabva da e previto nadolu, kato egipetskiya simvol na 
dqlgoletie "ankh";  obiknoveno dve kloncheta sa previti, i survachkata 
ima formata na nashata bukva "f", dvoen "ankh".  Prqchkata se 
ukrasyava s mnogocvetni parcalcheta, ushiti kato po-drebni cvetya i 
golemi gyulove (rozi).  Ddnes tova se pravi ot mnogocvetna meka 
hartiya.  Survachkite sega se kopuvat gotovi ot ciganite (poslednite 
paziteli na nashite tradicii!), a ne se pravyat ot semeystvoto mejdu 
Koleda i Nova godina.  Po tradiciya, survachkite sa se pazeli do 
proletta i sa se izgaryali ceremonialno na kladi pri proletnoto maskirane 
na Zagovezni, a decata preskachali ogqnya za zdrave..

"Nova godina" e sravnitelno nov izraz v bqlgarskiya ezik.  Tradicionno 
praznikqt se naricha "Survaki", "Surva", "Surova", "Suroka", 
"Surozdru", "Vasilyovden", "Vasilica", "Vasiliya" - v zavisimost ot 
dialekta i oblastta.

Dochakvaneto na Novata godina stava na dqlga vecherya, narichana na 
mesta "vtora kadena vecher" (vtora, sled Bqdni vecher). Tya se 
otlichava ot Bqldni vecher i po tova, che sega se kanyat i ne-chlenove 
na semeystvoto.  Tradicionna hrana e varena svinska glava, a pri po-
bednite, koito ne sa zaklali svoya svinya - svinska pacha, i banica 
(mlin) s ukrita para i drugi nabelyazani i narecheni predmetcheta, 
obiknoveno pqpki ot dryan.  Osven s namirane na "kqsmeta" v 
banicata, gadaeneto se proyavyava v hvqrlyane na sharen bob, 
hvqrlyane na ashici (ocveteni kokqlcheta ot agneshko kolyano), leene 
na kurshum (izlivane na raztopeno olovo v panica sqs svetena voda), 
laduvane (gadaene s prqsteni v "mqlchaliva voda", t.e., voda, koyato e 
donesena ot kladeneca pri pqlno mqlchanie na noseshtite ya, i daje  - 
po-sqvremennoto gledane na kafe.

Dokqm kraya na 30-te godini, survakaneto prez noshta sreshtu Nova 
godina se e izvqrshvalo ot maskirani drujini mladi mqje (narichani 
"survakari", "survaskari", "vasilichari", "starci", "babugeri", 
"djamalari").  Maskiranite predstavyat obiknoveno uchastnici v svatba, 
mechkar i mechka, drugi jivotni, i razigravat pantomimi sqs zachatqci 
na primitiven naroden teatqr. Izpolzvat se zvqnci i se vdiga mnogo 
shum, daje se gqrmi s lovdjiyski pushki, za da se progonyat zlizte 
duhove, talasqmite i karakondjulite.  Vsichko tova dnes e pochti 
zabraveno, kato funkciyata na survakane se e prehvqrlila vqrhu decata.

Dneshnite urbanizirani bqlgari sa zapazili obichta si kqm praznika.  
Daje i v nay-mizerni godini, vinagi e imalo dostatqcho hrana i napitki 
za Nova godina - za semeystvoto i priyatelite, i dostatqchno stotinki v 
djoba sa mladite survakari.  A ot magikata na narodnoto gadaene i 
predrichane na bqdeshteto e ostanalo u vsichki "novogodishnoto 
obeshtanie", t.e., che ot Nova godina shte stanem razlichni, i moje bi, 
po-dobri hora.

Za mnogo godini!

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19-12 Christmas traditions (in Bulgarian)
(by Vladimir Marangozov), last updated: 123095

                    Bqlgarski obichai po kolednite praznici
 
                              Dekemvri i yanuari
 
        Pravoslavniyat hristiyanski kalendar postavya za nachalo na
praznichnata godina 1 septemvri, makar grqko-rimskiat ezicheski obreden cikql
da e zapochval ot pqrvi yanuari. Sled pribiraneto na rekoltata idva redqt na
tradicionnite kalendarni praznici. Prez IV vek grqko-rimskoto duhovenstvo
vqvejda golemiyat praznik, nepoznat dotogava, Rojdestvo Hristovo, prikrepen
kqm denya na zimniya slqnchev krqgovrat, 25 dekemvri. Dqlgo vreme predi tova, a
i po-kqsno, v predelite na Rimskata imperiya sa se chestvali tqy narechenite
Kalendi, predhojdani ot drugi podobni praznici prez dekemvri, glavno
Saturnaliite. Bezsilna da gi otstrani napqlno, cqrkvata gi sqglasuva s novite
hristiyanski vqzgledi. Ot druga strana u nyakoi slavyanski narodi kolednite
obredi sa svqrzani s novogodishnite. U nas obache ima dva otdelni praznika -
Koleda i Vasilovden (Nova godina).
 
        Kak praznikqt Koleda e bil chestvan nyakoga? Shtom premine Nikulden
(6 dekemvri), kogato se chestva svetecqt, pokrovitel na zastrashenite po more
pqtnici, i nastqpi Ignajden (20 dekemvri), koyto po nyakoi mesta se smyata dori
za nachalo na novata godina, zapochva podgotovkata na netqrpelivo ochakvanata
Koleda. Na Nikulden se pravi kurban ot sharan. V denya na sveti Ignat, narichan
u naroda "polezov den", se gleda koy chovek shte doyde prqv (shte polazi) v
kqshtata i spored nego, spored haraktera mu i blagopoluchieto mu, se gadae za
shtastliva ili losha godina. Denyat sreshtu Koleda se naricha nyakqde "Bojik",
t.e. den na mladiya bog. Togava se otsicha v gorata debel pqn (dqb ili buk),
narechen "bqdnik", koyto tryabva da gori prez cyalata nosht. Prez tova vreme
semeystvoto buduva (bdi) i vnimava da ne zagasne ogqnyat. Dumata "bqdnik" i
ottam - Bqdni vecher - proizliza tqkmo ot tova bdenie. Bqdni vecher se praznuva
mnogo tqrjestveno s trapeza ot postni yastiya (sarmi, fasul, oshav, chesqn i
t.n.). Raznoobrazieto e zadqljitelno, za da moje prez godinata da ima ot
vsichko. Na tozi den strogo se spazvat nay-raznoobrazni obichai za predugajdane
na bqdeshteto i za vqvejdane na zdrave i blagodat v kqshtata. Na mnogo mesta
predi vecheryata nyakoy otiva v gradinata i zamahva s bradva po bezplodnite
drqvcheta sqs zakanata: "Shte preseka tova dqrvo!" Drug go spira: "Zashto shte
go sechesh" - "Oti ne rajda." - "Ostavi go, otsega shte rodi." Tova se povtarya
tri pqti. Po sqshtiyat nachin se plashat bezdetni jeni i neprohodili deca.
Posle mqjqt slaga na paleshnika ogqn i tamyan i prekajda tri pqti trapezata.
Pqrviyat zalqk ne se yade - sutrinta se dava na dobitqka; momata spi s nego
i ako sqnuva, che go yade s nyakoy momqk, shte se omqji za nego. Sled vecheryata
se chupyat orehi, za da se vidi kqsmeta na vseki - hubavata yadka oznachava
zdrave i spoluka, a razvalenata - bolest. Edna cyala yadka se ostavya za sv.
Bogorodica - tya sluji za lek, kakto i drugite zapazeni ot tazi vecher neshta.
A kogato se nahranyat, vsichki stavat vkupom, za da se izmqtyat yaycata pod
kvachkata zaedno, da ne se razpilyavat kokoshkite, piletata i pchelite.
Domakinqt pristqpya naveden dozemi, za da bqdat klasovete na nivata pqlni i
privedeni ot jito i t.n.
 
        Na sutrinta na 25 dekemvri, Golyama Koleda, se gleda v kqshtata
nay-napred da doyde momiche ili mlada jena, ta agnetata da bqdat vse jenski.
Vajno myasto v cyalata obrednost imat pesnite na koledarite, koito se
izpqlnyavat ot drujina koledari vecherta sreshtu praznika i zaranta na drugiya
den. Mladi momci podgotvyat nyakolko dni po-rano praznichnite pesni, zapomneni
ot staro vreme. V urechen chas te trqgvat da "slavyat" Rojdestvo Hristovo,
obikalyayki vsichki kqshti na seloto. V atmosfera, nasitena ot nay-hubavi
nedejdi i ot radost na mladi i stari, pevcite poseshtavat vsyaka kqshta,
noseyki "blagata vest" za zdrave i uspeh. Pesnite, koito prozvuchavat
nay-tqrjestveno prez noshtta, ne sa sluchayna dobavka kqm religiozno chestvane.
Te predstavlyavat negov osnoven dyal, bez koyto ne moje da se misli za nikakvo
povisheno nastroenie i nikakva vyara v prorocheskoto znachenie na dumite, koito
se kazvat. Vsichki useshtat nastqpvaneto na nov godishen period i se nadyavat
na blagodenstvie i bereket. Pesnite sa sqobrazeni s vqzrastta, polejenieto v
semeystvoto i chastnite interesi ili mechti na vseki, kato se polaga golyama
grija da ne bqde zabraven nikoy i da ne se sgreshi v reda na chestvaneto.
Pqrvata vqzhvala e prednaznachena za domakina - "stanenik" ili za "chudnoto
dqrvo", bqdnika, simvol na ochakvanata blagodat. Dqrvoto se misli za vqzvisheno
do nebeto spusnalo kloni do zemyata. Po nego sliza sam Gospod ("Mlada Boga"),
za da daruva shtedro momi i momci, mayki i dqshteri, bashti i sinove, deca i
starci sqs "suho zlato, dreben biser" i da predricha pqlna kqshta s "drebni
deca, agnenca, telenca, prasenca" i t.n. Vsyaka pesen za domakina zavqrshva
sqs stereotipno zaklyuchenie:
                Tebe peem, stanenine,
                Tebe peem, blagoslovi!
                Ot boga ti mnogo zdrave,
                ot drujina veselbina!
 
        S shiroko sqrce i vesel duh domakinqt simvolichno e gotov da
oblagodetelstva drujinata s vsichko onova, koeto moje da ya radva i
nasqrchava.
 
        Sreshtu sv. Vasil (1 yanuari) se pravi kadena vecher ("vtori Bqdni
vecher"). Na trapezata se slaga banica ili mlin, v koyto ima malki dryanovi
prqchki s pqpki i edna srebqrna para. Koyto nameri parata shte bqde nay-bogat i
shtastliv, a na kogoto se padne nyakoe ot klonchetata - toy shte poluchi
kqsmeta, koyto e narechen na tova klonche - zdrave, svatba, nova kqshta i t.n.
Drugo tradicionno yastie e pachata ot svinska glava. Na sutrinta po-mladite
momcheta trqgvat da survakat za zdrave s otrano prigotvenite survaknici ot
ukraseni dryanovi klonki. Navsyakqde gi daruvat s pari, orehi i kravai.
 
        Sreshtu 2 yanuari, sv. Silvestriy, se pravi "rivanka" ili "rivane" na
oborite. Po mrqknaloto, cheta momci trqgva s gaydi i pesni, vliza vqv vsyaka
kqshta i izriva torta ot oborite, koito ne sa chisteni ot Bqdni vecher.
Navsyakqde gi chaka torba s kravai, bqklica vino, nadenica ili pecheno svinsko
meso. Domakinite ne gi posreshtat, no ostavyat portite otvoreni, a kuchetata
vqrzani. Rinachite peyat iz ulicite, igrayat okolo bayrak i na drugiya den
prodavat sqbranata slanina i s parite pravyat nova goshtavka.
 
        Na 6 yanuari se praznuva Bogoyavlenie ili Vodici. Togava se krqshtava
vodata i ot tozi den prestava da hodi karakondjo, koyto e obikalyal prez
dvanadesette "poganni dni". Sveshtenikqt pravi vodosvet na rekata, ezeroto ili
moreto, kqdeto se otiva s ikoni i horugvi, i hvqrlya krqsta vqv vodata. Momcite
skachat da go vadyat i posle obikalyat s nego i sqbirat bakshish. Momi i ergeni
zaedno obikalyat imennicite i im miyat licata sqs specialna voda, koyato nosyat
sqs sebe si. Vyarva se, che ako zamrqzne kitkata na popa pri vodosveta,
godinata shte bqde plodorodna. Bolni i deca se kqpyat s drehite v rekata, a
"krqstenata voda" se pie za zrdave na gladno sqrce. Nyakoi krqshtavat s neya
vinoto i razsola, za da ne se razvalyat.
 
        Posledniyat ppraznik ot tozi cikql e Babinden. Na nego maykite s malki
deca gostuvat na svoite "babi" (t.e. akusherki), nosyat im darove i im polivat
da se izmiyat, sled koeto se otdavat na veselo i shumno ugoshtenie. Ponyakoga,
babite bivat otkarvani do rekata i okqpani.
 
        S veselie i bogati trapezi se praznuvat i mnogo imenni dni, svqrzani s
praznicite na hristiyanskite svetci:
 
        - 4 dekemvri e denyat na velikomqchenica Varvara
        - 5 dekemvri e denyat na sv. Sava;
        - 6 dekemvri e Nikulden
        - 20 dekemvri e denyat na sveshtenomqchenik Ignatiy-Bogonosec-Ignajden
        - 22 dekemvri e denyat na velikomqchenica Anastasiya, chestvana v
             narodniya kalendar i katp sv. Ana;
        - 25 dekemvri _ Koleda - e denyat, kogato praznuvat vsichki Hristovci
        - 27 dekemvri e Stefanovden;
        - 1 yanuari e Vasilovden
        - 2 yanuari e denyat na sv. Silvestqr, papa Rimski;
        - 6 yanuari - Bogoyavleniue - e Yordanovden, togava praznuvat i vsichki
                      Bogdanovci
        - 7 yanuari e Ivanovden, praznikqt na sv. Yoan Krqstitel;
        - 18 yanuari e Atanasovden.
 
 
Hayde sega i ot mene:
 
        Surva, surva godina,
        vesela godina!
        Zelen klas na niva,
        golyam grozd na loze,
        jqlt mamul na lesa,
        chervena yabqlka v gradina,
        pqlna kqshta s koprina,
        jivo-zdravo dogodina,
        dogodina, do amina!



===============================================================================
SECTION  20:  RELIGION

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
20-1 What are the roots of Bulgarian Orthodoxy
(by by Luben Boyanov), last updated: 
 
Bulgaria accepted Orthodoxy during the reign of Boris I.  His son - Simeon I
(the greatest Bulgarian King) made the Bulgarian Church independent from
the Byzantine one.  During the First Bulgarian Empire, the Bulgarian Church
(Patriarchate) had 2 'headquarters' (sorry don't know more details now) - one
in Turnovo and one in Ohrid. After the fall of the First Bulgarian Empire
(the Bulgarian capital of the last Bulgarian king of the First Bulgarian
Empire -  Tzar Samuil was Ohrid) Emperor Basil II (the Bulgar-slayer) did not
abolish the Bulgarian Patriarchate in Ohrid. It survived (and was called
Bulgarian, even that it was headed by Greek clergy for a long time) until 1766
when it was abolished by the intrigues of the Phanariotes (this was part of
the Megali-Idea persued by the clergy of Constantinopol). The Patriarchate in 
Turnovo was  reestablished with the reestablishment of the Second Bulgarian
Empire and abolished with its fall - in 1393 (or maybe it was 1396 - the year
I remember given as the start of the Ottoman yoke).

Due to different reasons, Bulgarians know little on the one of the greatest
(and most important) events in their modern history -  the reestablishment
of their own national church in the Ottoman Empire.  This came after several
decades of struggle of the Bulgarians with the Phanariotes of Constantinopol
(Istanbul) (and the Russian diplomacy).  The struggle (which actually
started in 1833 when the Bulgarians in Skopie and Samokov refused to continue
accepting the Greek clergy) ended with success (even the treath of converting
the Bulgarians to Catolicism was used) and on March 10th, 1870 (old style),
the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire issued a famous ferman (order), which 
established the Bulgarian autocephalous Church under a primate entitled
Exarch, whose residence was at Constantinopol. On the 16th of Sept 1872,
the Greek Orthodox Patriarchy declared the Bulgarian Exrarchate schismatic
and the schism lasted until the late 1940-ies (or maybe early 50-ies, and
after that Bulgaria's church leader is Patriarch).  The jurisdiction of the
Exarchate during its establishment was over 15 dioceses ('mitropolii'),
including Nish, Pirot and Veles (but not Varna !!!).  Other dioceses were to
be added in case at least 2/3rd of the Christian local population so desired
(this was a not well known but truly democratic act during the 19th century  
on the Balkans). In virtue of that, the Porte (i.e. the Ottoman administrati-
on) subsequently allowed Bulgarian bishops in Ohrid, Uskub (at present - Sko-
pie, Monastir, Nevrokop (at present - Goce Delchev), Dibra, and Strumitsa. The
Bulgarian Exarch was resident in Constantinopol until the Balkan Wars after
which (in 1913), he (at that time - Exarch Joseph) withdrew to Sofia.



-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
20-2 What are the features of Orthodox religion 
(by Jan Terziyski), last updated: 

.Copied without authors' permission from a pamphlet of the
 "Sveti Nikolai" church (Ochanomizu, Chyoda-ku, Tokyo).

..              FAIR USE ONLY.

..Our Guide Lines for Holy Communion

.Orthodox Christians are expected to take Confession before Holy
Communion. Let us prepare ourselves with prayers and fasting from the night
before.

.Holy Communion in the Orthodox Church is shared only by Orthodox
Christians. Even though there are non-Orthodox Churches which encourage and
permit their faithful to take Communion in the Orthodox Church, it is not 
allowed to do so in the Orthodox Church. Like wise, Orthodox Christians
may not take Communion in non-Orthodox Churches.

.When you are taking Holy Communion in a parish other than your
own, please notify the priest before-hand, no later than at the time of
Confession.

.Due to the fact that we receive faithful from all aver the world, 
sometimes it is difficult to identify a person from other denominations,
so please be sure to be able in some way to prove yourself to be Orthodox.

.Although we deeply regret that it must be, there may be some cases
where it is impossible to fully verify the Orthodoxy of the visitor.
Therefore, we may ask you to present some form of identification before
we can give you Communion. Please be sure to talk with one of the priests as
early as possible to avoid such unfortunate incident. Wee thank you for your
cooperation. 
.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
20-3 Orthodox Christianity in Bulgaria
(by Plamen Sivov), last updated: 


                NEDELNO UCHILISHTE - S.C.B.
                              
             DAY 1 - THE CREED (SIMVOL-VERUJU)

     Most of  the systematic  explanations of  the  Orthodox
faith are  based on  the Nicene Creed, which is the ultimate
expression and  synthesis of  the dogma of Orthodoxy and the
basis of its teaching and sacramental life.
     The Creed was adopted between 325 and 381 A.D., shortly
after Christianity  was no  longer persecuted  in the  Roman
Empire. The  adoption took  place at  an Ecumenical  Council
(Vselenski Subor), which is the only form, recognized by the
Orthodox Church  even until  nowadays for the highest church
authority. In  this respect  it differs very much from Rome,
which historically  has concentrated much spiritual power in
the person  of the  Bishop  of  Rome,  e.g.  the  Pope.  The
Orthodox Church  recognizes 7  Ecumenical  Councils  in  its
entire history.
     Originally the  Creed was  used by  the Early Church at
baptismal services,  when the person who was to be baptized,
had to  acknowledge his true Christian faith. This baptismal
formula,  however,   later  developed   into  a  short,  but
extremely profound  in its  theological meaning statement of
faith, which  has ever  since been used as a "testing paper"
for any  new teaching;  in the  Creed, it is often said, one
can find the whole Bible condensed. In nowadays the Creed is
recited (or  sung) at  every Liturgy,  at the  moment of the
consecration of the bread and the wine.
     Here is  the complete  text of  the  Creed.  (Our  next
topics will  deal with  the truths of faith revealed in each
of its sections.)

ENGLISH:

1. I  believe in one God, Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven
and Earth, and of all things visible and invisible.
2. And  in one  Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only-
begotten, begotten of the Father before all ages:
3. Light of light, true God of true God, begotten, not made;
of one  essence with  the Father;  by Whom  all things  were
made:
4. Who  for us  men and  for our  salvation came  down  from
heaven and  was incarnate  of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin
Mary, and was made man;
5. And  was crucified  also for us under Pontius Pilate; and
suffered and was burried;
6. The third day He rose again according to the Scriptures;
7. And  ascended into  heaven, and sits at the right hand of
the Father;
8. And  He shall  come again  with glory to judge the living
and the dead; Whose kingdom shall have no end.
9. And  I believe  in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of
Life, Who  proceeds from the Father, Who with the Father and
the Son  together is  worshipped and glorified, Who spoke by
the prophets.
10. I believe in One Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.
11. I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins.
I look  for the resurrection of the dead and the Life of the
world to come.
Amen

CHURCH-SLAVONIC:

     Veruju vo  edinago Boga  Otca,  Vsederzhitelja,  Tvorca
nebu i  zemli, vidimim  zhe vsem  i nevidimim.  I vo edinago
Gospoda Iisusa  Hrista, Sina  Bozhija edinorodnago,  izhe ot
Otca rozhdennago  prezhde vseh  vek: sveta  ot  sveta,  Boga
istinna  ot   Boga  istinna,   rozhdenna,   ne   sotvorenna,
edinosushtna Otcu,  imzhe vsja  bisha. Nas  radi chelovek  i
nashego radi spasenija shedshago s nebes, i voplotivshegosja
ot Duha Svjata i Marii Devi, i vochelovechshasja. Razpjatago
zhe za  ni pri Pontijstem Pilate, i stradavsha, i pogrebena.
I vozkresshago  v tretij  den po pisaniem. I vozshedshego na
nebesa i  sedjashta otdesnuju  Otca. I  paki grjadushtago so
slavoju, suditi  zhivim i mertvim, ego zhe carstvie ne budet
konca.
     I v  Duha Svetago,  Gospoda, zhivotvorjashtago, izhe ot
Otca izhodjashtago,  izhe so  Otcem i  Sinom spoklonjaema  i
sslavima,  glagolavshago   proroki.   Vo   edinu   svjatuju,
sobornuju i apostolskoju Cerkov. Izpoveduju edino kreshtenie
vo ostavlenie  grehov. Chaju  voskresenija mertvih  i zhizni
budushtago veka. Amin.

     In the next days we will examine (very briefly) the
meaning of all these somewhat extravagantly sounding
sentences. Believe me, it is not as simple as it looks!

                   SUNDAY SCHOOL - DAY 2

                      THE ACT OF FAITH

I BELIEVE...

     Originally the  Creed was  recited with  "We  believe",
affirming the  "common mind and one heart", the universality
of the  Church and  therefore the  emphasis was  laid on the
collective, rather than the personal aspect of faith. Later,
with the  development of  the Church  consciousness and  the
refinement of  the elements  of personal religiousness, they
started reciting  it as  a personal,  rather than collective
statement of faith.
     But is what is "to believe"? What is "faith"? Is it the
self-deceiving whimsical  picture of  a world,  governed  by
supreme powers,  combined with subconscious fear of personal
death, that  stimulates the  mind to  create the  images  of
Heaven and  Hell? Is  it just  another  ideology?  Is  it  a
psychological deviation?  What is  the relation  between  "I
believe" and  "I  know"?  These  are  questions,  that  have
troubled the  minds of  many generations, including our own.
Contrary to  many people's  expectations,  the  progress  of
science and  technology did not bring about ultimate answers
to  the   ancient  questions;   the  only  effect  that  the
technocratic age  has had upon the problem of personal faith
and the existence of God is that it distracted the attention
of whole  generations from its clear realization. The result
is not  the  problem's  disappearance,  but  the  decreasing
number of individuals, who face it in their lifetimes.
     The Scripture itself explores the different aspects and
proper modes  of faith. But there is also in it a definition
of faith,  although very  brief. It  it to  be found  in the
Epistle to the Hebrews, usually ascribed to St. Paul, one of
the Twelve  apostles: "Now  faith is the substance of things
hoped for,  the evidence  of things  not seen. For by it the
elders (i.e.  the Jews in the Old Testament - P.S.) obtained
a good  testimony. By  faith we  understand that  the worlds
were fraimed  by the  word of  God, so that the things which
are seen  were not  made of things which are visible." (Heb.
11:1). This  short statement  is one  of the  most  explored
passages in  the Bible, especially nowadays, with the recent
development  of   gnoseology,  the   science   of   rational
perception and knowledge.
     Therefore a  statement a  faith presupposes  knowledge,
but not  the kind  of knowledge we all know from our sensual
or mental  experience. As  it refers  to a reality different
from our  material world and beyond it (transcendental), the
tools of  natural science  are useless, if we want to get to
know it. The spiritual reality, the existence of God and the
angelic powers  cannot be  "detected" with any technological
means or  by the  rational  means  of  analysis.  The  usual
question of  the non-believers  "Where is  God? Show  Him to
me!"  thus   has  no   meaning  and   is  a  consequence  of
misunderstanding of the difference between the two realities
- the created and the uncreated one (e.g. the material world
- the  Universe), and  the transcendent  existence  of  God,
which  is   beyond  the   borders  of   our  knowledge   and
understanding.
     A natural  question would  be "Where  do  we  get  this
supernatural knowledge  about God,  then?  Since  He  is  so
unreachable by  any human  means, how  would we even know of
His existence?"
     This is  the problem  of  the  sources  of  the  divine
revelation. We can distinguish several such sources:
     - the  material world  itself. The  law  of  cause  and
effect could  be applied  to trace  the  mere  fact  of  the
Being's existence (which in itself is an effect) to its pre-
existential cause, which, according to the believers, is God
himself. This is called "the ontological argument".
     - the  moral law  in Man.  The ability  to  distinguish
between good and evil, the subtle sensitivity about an ever-
existing  supreme   justice;  inspite   of  many  behavioral
explanations of  the moral  phenomena, still one of the most
profound and  convincing explanations  are  the  theological
ones.
     -  the  feeling  of  a  purpose  in  the  life  of  the
individual and  the existence  of the  Universe. This is the
"teleological argument".
     - the  recorded Revelation  - the  Bible or the Word of
God. It  consists of the Old and the New Testaments, the Old
being the  sacred writings  of the Jewish nation, covering a
long period of its history and actually regarding the events
of this  hisotry as a manifestation of God's intervention in
human history in general. The New Testament is an account of
the  fulfillment   of  the  expectations  of  a  Messiah,  a
legendary figure,  expected by the ancient Jews and foreseen
in their prophetic writings. The Messiah is Jesus Christ the
Nazarene, a  real figure,  who has  lived during the rule of
Herod, king of the Roman province of Judea. In the person of
Christ, according  to Orthodoxy,  the ultimate revelation is
to be  completed - God Himself takes human nature and "walks
among  us  in  flesh".  The  meaning  and  purpose  of  this
incarnation will be discussed later.
     Generally speaking,  there is  nothing in  the physical
reality that  can not  serve as some sort of revelation; all
human cultures have developed different imagery, stories and
beliefs to  express something  common for  all mankind - the
deeply rooted  in every  human being religiousness, i.g. the
possibility, the  potential of  religious faith,  of  direct
perception of the divine.
     Therefore, when  an Orthodox  Christian starts  his/her
statement of  faith with  "I believe...", he is not speaking
to himself and is not proclaiming a desired state of things,
having nothing  to do with reality. He is rather answering a
supernatural call  for obedience and recognition, that comes
from outside,  and at  the ame  time from  his own  personal
depths. It  is the  outward expression of Man's personal act
of faith,  carried out again and again, reaching to find his
own self-identity  in a  complicated world.   In  those  two
simple words  there is  a  whole  ontology  (vision  of  the
essence of  being) and  a clear  anthropology (vision of the
essence of  Man); a  picture of  a created  Universe  and  a
response from  a living  soul to  the divine  call from  its
Creator.
     The act  of faith is a necessary first step on the path
of Christian fulfillment. Without faith the secret knowledge
of God will not be revealed; the virtues cannot be practiced
effectively and  salvation cannot  be  achieved.  There  are
dozens of  examples  in  the  Bible  on  the  importance  of
personal faith  for receiving  the grace of God, His loving-
kindness and  forgiveness. Strictly speaking the nonbeliever
is in  a different state or mode of being than the believer,
he/she has a different supernatural status - not only in the
eyes  of   God,  but   objectively,  in   his  own   nature.
Reproachful, as  it may  sound, this  is an  argument,  upon
which many  religions agree (I mean the status of Man before
and after  the personal  act of  faith). Believers  know the
difference and that is one of the main drives for evangelism
(please do  not associate  it with street or TV evangelism),
of sharing  the Good  News with others and thus helping them
to partake  in the  divine nature and to perceive the truths
from the "other reality" I already mentioned.

     In my  next posting I will deal in brief with the other
part of the first section of the Creed, namely, the dogma of
the Holy Trinity and His three persons (hipostasis).

VOCABULARY: Godhead  - Bozhestvo. The Holy Trinity, regarded
in its  unity, rather  than in the aspect of the differences
between the three Persons.
     Religion  -  from  re-legare,  a  Latin  word  for  "to
reunite", to  join together  something that  has  previously
been broken or cut apart.
     Bible -  from "biblia"  (Greek word  for "books"), i.g.
the collection  of the  sacred writings  of Christianity.  A
general agreement  on the  contents of the Bible was reached
no earlier  than the 3-4th century, when there was a need of
a common  written source  for all  Christians. This concerns
only the  books of  the New Testament; the Old Testament  is
basically all the major books of the Jewish Torrah (The Five
Books, ascribed  to Moses)  and the  writings  of  prophets,
poets, hitorians,  etc. -  but every  book deals  with  some
aspect of the revelation of God to the Jewish nation.


                 NEDELNO UCHILISHTE - DAY 3
                              
                 THE PERSONS OF THE TRINITY

(I believe) IN ONE GOD...

     The first section of the Creed deals with the object of
the Orthodox  religious worship  - the Holy Trinity, who has
revealed to  mankind His presence and role in the history of
the nations, as well as in the personal lives of millions of
people.
     All religions  worship some sort of a divine Person, or
Being, or  Essence. Some  tend to  depersonalize the Godhead
and often  talk about the Spirit of Nature, or the Spirit of
the Universe,  who has not any aspects, similar to the Man's
personality.  This   group  of   religions  constitute   the
pantheism, the "all-is-God" view, associated mainly with the
religious systems  of Buddhism, Hinduism, etc. The religious
experience for  them can  be very strong, even ecstatic, but
never personal, i.e. promoting the individual uniqueness and
the person-to-person relation with God.
     For us Christians God is doubtlessly a Person, although
not in  the same  sense  in  which  man  is  a  person.  The
psychological sciences  have achieved  a lot  to explain the
process of the formation of individuality and personality in
Man; obviously,  this process  has a  lot  to  do  with  the
external influences  (from the parents or the society). This
is not  the case  with God. His Person has never been formed
and is  not a  subject to any change or development (because
God exists  beyond Space and Time). More importantly, He has
a Being-in-Himself,  that is,  he does not owe His existence
to an external cause, as we all do; He is self-sufficient in
His Divinity.
     The problem  of the  Person of  God is  one of the most
difficult to understand. One of the reasons for this is that
it is  very much  related with the problem of the Essence of
God, which  is beyond  any human  understanding.  The  other
reason is  the fact  that  we,  having  been  granted  human
personalities by  God, often  tend to  "create" a God of our
own "image  and likeness".  No matter  how tempting this may
seem, it  has ever  to be  avoided by  the true seekers. The
anthropocentricity, as  this is called, can be overcome only
by a  real personal  relation with God; a relation dominated
not by  pride, but  by humiliation  and an  honest desire to
know God  better, which  is a  natural desire,  implanted in
every man's soul, no matter how distorted it may be.
     The detailed  history of  God's revelation  as One  God
(opposed to  the polytheism  of most  of the nations at that
time) is  to be  found  throughout  the  books  of  the  Old
Testament, since the very first page.


...THE FATHER...

     Now probably  some people  may think: "Well, if that is
not anthropomorphism  (ascribing aspects of the human nature
to God),  then I don't know what is". Calling the Godhead "a
Father",   and    therefore   ascribing    to    it    human
characteristics, may seem strange and primitive.
     Actually there  are a  lot of  reasons for  calling God
"Father". First, our relationship with Him is very much like
a fatherhood  and a sonhood, as He is our Creator and we owe
Him our  existence. Second,  the love  of a  father for  his
children is  an image  of God's love for every individual of
mankind. There are also many other theological arguments for
this name.  But, above  all, God  Himself is  calling us His
sons and Jesus referred to Him as "Father".
     It has  been become  a fashion recently for some groups
to talk  about the  "feminine aspect  of God" and to address
Him by  other names.  But for  an Orthodox  Christian, it is
clear  that   God  is   above  any   sexuality  and  gender;
nevertheless He  Himself has  taught us  to address  Him  as
Father. Sometimes,  especially  in  the  spiritual  matters,
obedience  is   more  important   than   understanding   and
understanding of  a spiritual  truth comes  after a  certain
period of obedience.
     Also, the  Father is  the name  of  one  of  the  three
Persons (hypostaseis)  of the  Godhead, the  other two being
the Son  (Jesus Christ)  and the  Holy Spirit.  The relation
between God's  unity and  diversity at the same time will be
examined later.

...ALMIGHTY, MAKER  OF HEAVEN  AND EARTH,  AND OF ALL THINGS
VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE.

     These are words, referring to some of the attributes of
God. He is almighty, (omnipotent; in Slavonic: Vsederzhitel)
that is,  His  powers  and  abilities  transcend  any  human
imagination  or  understanding.  The  omnipotence  of  God's
divine nature expresses itself in the creation of the world,
that  is,   the  Universe.   "Heaven  and  Earth"  does  not
necessarily mean  the physical  sky and the planet Earth; it
includes the  whole  Nature,  the  Cosmos,  all  dimensions,
planets, stars and aspects of the material being, both known
and unknown  to Man.  The things which are "visible" are the
realities of the physical Universe, while "invisible" refers
to  the   spiritual  realities  (for  example,  the  angelic
powers).
     The act  of Creation  is  one  of  the  ultimate  self-
expressions of  God. Not that He needs such self-expression,
but because it is a sign of His Divine Love. ("God is Love",
the Gospel  says, and  through Love  we find Him. Therefore,
Christians view this world as an enigmatic signature of God;
by exploring  the material aspects of Nature many scientists
have come  to a greater faith in God - such as Isaac Newton,
for example.)

VOCABULARY: Omnipotence  - the  unlimited and  unconditional
powers and abilities of God to dispose of His own creation.
     Omnipresence (vezdesushtnost)  - God  is  not  "living"
somewhere beyond  the borders  of  the  known  Universe  and
actually He  is not  occupying any  particular space  at any
particular time.  Being above  the dimensions,  He is at the
same time  ever-present in  all of  them, everywhere and all
the time. Being a "Superperson" He is also able to relate to
each  and   everyone  of   all  the  human  beings,  without
neglecting anybody and fully present any time we call on His
holy name.
     Angelic powers  - spiritual  beings, created before the
first men, which do not possess material shape or nature and
only occasionally  can appear  as visible messengers of God.
The angelic  powers are  not completely  revealed to  us; we
know very  little of  them. But the Scripture makes it quite
clear that:  1) they exist; 2) part of them have turned away
from God,  using their  free will for disobedience; they are
called demons; 3) there are multitudes of them and they form
a certain  hierarchy (the Orthodox church formally agrees on
seven angelic  ranks, although  for some  of them  virtually
nothing is  known, except  that they  are mentioned  in  the
Scripture.) It  should be  pointed out, that knowledge about
the  teaching  of  the  Church  on  the  angelic  powers  is
extremely important  today, when  many people speculate with
the spiritual  hunger of  the people  and  claim  to  be  in
contact with  spirits, extraterrestrials,  angels, etc.  The
Church has  been dealing  with such  "paranormal" cases  for
centuries and  has worked  out many  rules  for  our  proper
relation to such phenomena.



-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
20-4 Orthodox Calendar 
(by Plamen Sivov), last updated: 

..PRAVOSLAVIETO I GREGORIANSKIJAT KALENDAR

Tqj kato istorijata na kalendarnoto razminavane beshe veche nakratko
izjasnena, shte opisha s dve dumi segashnata situacija - kakva e pozici-
jata na Pravoslavieto po tozi vqpros.

Pqrvo, ne biva da zabravjame, che vqv vsjaka svetovna religija kalendarqt
ima osobeno mjasto. Za razlika ot svetskoto letobroene, koeto e poveche 
ili po-malko pragmatichno otchitane na vremeto na bazata na obshtoprieti
standarti, cqrkovnoto vreme e neshto sqvsem drugo. Ne e sluchajno, che sq-
vremennata civilizacija otchita vremeto si sprjamo tochno opredelena toch-
ka vqv vremeto - predpolagaemata godina na razhdaneto na Iisus ot Nazaret.
No dokato za sveta tova e prosto kulturen fenomen, za Cqrkvata toj ima dql-
boko religiozno sqdqrzhanie; v razhdaneto na Hrista vjarvashtite vizhdat
grandiozno sqbitie s kosmicheski izmerenija, tochkata na presichane na
Bozhestvenoto i choveshkoto i nachaloto na spasitelnata misija za chovesh-
kija rod. S edna duma za Cqrkvata vremeto ne e prosta fizicheska velichina,
no izmerenie sqs sakramentalno znachenie. Sledvajki podobni sqobrazhenija
nikoj ne bi obvinil v "konservatizqm" evreite, kitajcite ili mjusulmanite, 
che si imat svoj sobstven kalendar. Prosto vqprosqt ne e prjako svqrzan s 
pragmatichnata strana na neshtata...

Taka praznicite v Cqrkvata se razlichavat ot svetskite praznici. Godishnijat
cikql na bogosluzhenijata e zatvoren, kato tazi ciklichnost simvolizira bez-
krajnostta na Boga, a vseki praznik ne e prosto pripomnjane na vazhno sqbi-
tie, a prichastjavane s tazi bezkrajnost. Eto zashto vqprosite okolo kalen-
dara ne sa ednoznachni i ne iziskvat zadqlzhitelno pragmatichnija podhod za
razreshavaneto im, za razlika ot podobni razlichija v svetskite merni sis-
temi (kontinentalnata metrichna i amerikanskata, naprimer).

Oshte edin faktor trjabva da se otchita, kogato stava vqpros za kalendarni
razlichija mezhdu Pravoslavieto i Rimokatolicizma - shizmata (razdelenieto),
kojato razdeli ednata Hristova, Vselenska i Apostolska Cqrkva prez 11 vek.
Vzaimnite podozrenija, obvinenija i nedoverie ne sa se prekratili nito za
mig ottogava. I dori kogato Rim e pravil novovqvedenija, potiknat ne ot zla
umisql, a ot sqobrazhenija za praktichnost, Iztokqt e predpochital da ne se
sqobrazjava s nego. Obratnoto sqshto se e sluchvalo nevednqzh.

Shto se otnasja do kalendara obache, v momenta v pravoslavnija svjat preob-
ladavat novokalendarcite. Do kraja na I sv. vojna vsichki pravoslavni izpo-
lzvat starija stil, ili Julianskija kalendar, kojto, kakto stana jasno, dnes
izostava ot Gregorianskija s 13 dni. Prez 1923 Vselenskijat Patriarh (tradi-
cionnata titla na episkopa na Konstantinopol (sega Istanbul)) svikva Mezhdu-
pravoslaven kongres, na kojto prisqstvat delegati ot Sqrbija, Rumqnija,
Gqrcija i Kipqr. Patriarsite na Ierusalim i Antiohija otkazvat da izpratjat
delegati, Aleksandrijskijat Patriarh dori ne otgovarja na pokanata. Bqlgar-
skata Cqrkva ne e pokanena. Sred njakolkoto vqprosi, s koito se zanimava 
kongresqt, e i kalendarqt, i po-tochno predlozhenieto za priemane na zapad-
nija stil. Prez 1924 g. Konstantinopol vqvezhda novija stil i skoro sqshtoto
pravjat cqrkvite v Aleksandrija, Antiohija, Gqrcija, Kipqr, Rumqnija i Pol-
sha. (Bqlgarija priema novija stil prez 1968 g.) Cqrkvite na Rusija, Ieru-
salim, Sqrbija, kakto i manasitrite v Sveta Gora ne priemat novovqvedenieto.
Prakticheski obache cjalata Pravoslavna Cqrkva praznuva Velikden pochti vi-
nagi ednovremenno sqs Zapada, a Finlandskata pravoslavna cqrkva izcjalo se
sqobrazjava s Gregorianskija kalendar.

Za mnogo pravoslavni priemaneto na novija stil se svqrzva s kapitulacija 
pred "shizmaticite", sirech, pred Rim i razumnite osnovanija za edna taka-
va stqpka, kojato bi sqdejstvala za svetovnoto hristijansko edinstvo prosto
se prenebregvat v imeto na starata vrazhda. V mnogo pravoslavni strani, 
vkljuchitelno i v BG, se pojaviha grupi na "starokalendarcite", nastojava-
shti za vrqshtane kqm starija stil, pozovavajki se na argumenta, che spored
kanonichnoto pravo promjanata na kalendara iziskva obshtoto sqglasie na vsi-
chki pravoslavni cqrkvi i sledovatelno reshenijata, vzeti v Konstantinopol
sa nishtozhni. No dokato monasite ot Sveta Gora, othvqrljajki novija kalen-
dar, ne prekqsvat edinenieto si s Konstantinopolskija Patriarh, njakoi kraj-
ni grupi se objavjavat za "istinskata" i "chista" pravoslavna cqrkva, iz-
kljuchvajki se ot svetovnoto pravoslavno obshtenie. V Bqlgarija tova e gru-
pata na Rosen Siromahov, provqzglasen za "Episkop Triadicki" i rqkopolozhen
ot grqcki starokalendarski episkop.

Amerikanskata Pravoslavna Cqrkva, makar che e pod jurisdikcijata na Ruskija
Patriarh, sqbljudava novija stil, koeto pokazva, che kalendarqt ne e prob-
lem, zaradi kojto si zasluzhava da se razdelja Cqrkvata. Taka pone mislja 
az. :-)



-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
20-5 The Balkans, Orthodox Christianity and the Youth 
(by Plamen Sivov, Marian Stoyadinov), last updated: 

                       ANOTHER UNION
                              
     THE BALKANS, THE ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY, THE YOUTH

     The reviving  Orthodoxy in  Russia and the countries of
Central and  Eastern Europe is a wonderful phenomenon, which
the whole  Church is  joyfully contemplating  and thankfully
celebrating into  the Lord.  The interest and the reflection
of  these  processes  on  behalf  of  the  Western  Orthodox
churches has  been enormous;  the  hearts  of  most  of  the
American Orthodox  Christians in the last several years have
constantly been  tuned to  the  pains  and  hopes  of  their
Russian,  Serbian   or  Romanian   brothers   and   sisters.
Pittifully enough,  the situation  of Orthodoxy in a country
like Bulgaria,  where it  has beared so rich fruits over the
last 11 centuries, remains farely obscure, partly because of
the relatively  small immigration  from this  country to the
West, and  its overall  peaceful  transition  to  democracy,
which has  kept it  from the  headlines in the news. In this
article the  author, a Bulgarian himself, offers a Bulgarian
reflection of  the  processes  on  the  Balkans,  which  are
bringing about  a revival of Orthodoxy in this area, as well
as contemplations  about the  modern attitudes  towards  the
Orthodox spirituality in Bulgaria.
     The temptation  to write  this article  on my  own  was
strong. But  the problem  of our  personal attitude  towards
Orthodoxy and  its Balkan  dimensions is so painfully common
for us  Bulgarians, that any soliloquy would be irrelevantly
one-sided. Orthodoxy  itself from  its very first steps till
nowadays has  always been in a dialog position both with the
external world  and with itself. For every dialogue at least
two sides are needed and something they have in common. I am
talking with  Mr. Marian  Stoyadinov from the "St.  Evtimij,
Patriarch of  Turnovo" Youth Christian Movement. With Marian
we share a common age and a common faith.

P. S.:  The political  quakes on  the  Balkans  focused  our
attention  on  the  problem  of  religious  toleration.  The
collisions in  former Yugoslavia  were presented not only in
their political,  but also  in their  religious aspect.  New
lines have been drawn on the map; lines that have nothing to
do  with   the  national  boundaries  and  that  divide  the
population into  Moslems and  Christians, into  Orthodox and
Roman Catholics.  Voices were  heard about the old interests
of the  Vatican against the interests of Orthodoxy and about
new spheres  of influence  of the  Christian churches and of
the Islam.
     I wonder  as to  whether this situation has anything to
do with the real religious beliefs of the inhabitants of the
Peninsula.
     Following a  basic need  for self-identification,  many
Bulgarians call  themselves Orthodox, without having a clear
understanding of  the meaning of this word. I often hear the
following statement:  "We are  not  familiar  with  our  own
faith". I  think that  if faith is something deeply personal
and not  soaring somewhere  in the  high domains of national
values, such  statements show  the  unpreparedness  of  many
Bulgarians for an encounter with faith, the same faith which
they  call  their  own,  but  are  not  familiar  with.  The
traditionally conveyed  loyalty to  Orthodoxy often  mutates
into irrational  allegiance to  vague ideas, symbolizing the
nationa  lunity   and  having  nothing  to  do  with  faith.
Distortions like  this are  noticed even  at high  political
levels;  let  us  remember  the  bows  of  courtesy  of  the
Bulgarian president  to the  Church. (I mean his presence at
liturgies  on  great  Christian  celebrations).  I  use  the
president's behavior as an example not to criticize him, but
because he  has claimed  many times  to hold a materialistic
and atheist  position in his personal world view. Of course,
all  are   equal  in   the  temple;   there  cannot  be  any
discrimination  there,   but  the  misunderstanding  of  the
essence of faith is something alarming.
     The   second    associative   layer   of   the   public
consciousness links Orthodoxy with the discord in the Church
and the  third, with  something long-forgotten,  exotic  and
referring mostly  to elderly people, while the activities of
the  youth   religiousness  are   associated   with   street
evangelism and "heavenly explosions"*.

M. S.: Unfortunately, this is very true for Bulgaria. I have
been  lucky  enough  to  witness  the  experience  of  other
Orthodox churches and youth groups, especially in Serbia and
Greece. Now I have come to the conclusion that if we want to
offer Orthodoxy  as an  alternative to  the young people, we
should have  available that set of spiritual and theological
literature, which  has helped  the youth  in Greece to carry
out the  spiritual revolution,  the  religious  Renaissance,
which this  country is  currently going  through  and  which
fills the  monasteries of  Athon with  young people,  giving
them opportunity  to develop  a worldly-recognized theology.
The same  can be  said about  Serbia. If this process can be
stimulated  with   the  translation   of  the   contemporary
religious thinkers  such as  Schmemann, Meyendorf  or Losski
into Bulgarian, I am fully supportive. Our movement has been
granted the  rights of  translation and  distribution of the
publications of St. Vladimir Press in New York, which is one
of the  most influential  theological schools for the entire
Orthodox Christian  world. Many things will become clear, if
we use  the sources, which have brought religious revival to
the young  people abroad  and  especially  in  the  Orthodox
countries. What the youth needs now is an alternative and we
want to  acquaint it  with such an alternative; we are loyal
to this idea.

P. S.:  Recently  it  became  almost  a  fashion  to  reduce
everything to  the justifying  sanction of  the  West.  This
process started  in politics (we were often told from the TV
screen how  things are  done in the developed Western states
and how,  "if we  want to become a normal country - "). This
Western or  pseudo-Western attempt for reflection penetrates
everywhere, but  it seems  that in  Bulgaria it  has not yet
reached Orthodoxy.  This  gives  us  the  unique  chance  to
explore the  real attitude  of the  West  towards  Orthodoxy
before it is conveyed to us distorted by the media.

M. S.:  Judging from statements of people from the West, who
have adopted  Orthodoxy, it  is something exclusively lively
and fresh  for them  in terms  of world view, perception and
way of  thinking; something  that Seraphim  Rose for example
calls "the  best kept secret", something close and belonging
to the  European consciousness,  something that  Europe  has
inherited (this is the Christianity which has been confessed
by the  Eastern part  of the  Roman Empire  until  the  15th
century),  but   is  unfamiliar  with  at  the  moment.  The
rendezvous with  Orthodoxy is  like a  shock  (in  the  good
sense) to  the Westerner, like a discovery of something dear
which has  been long-forgotten  in the  back yard and he had
never even suspected of its existence.
     When someone  is bound  to a definite type of religious
thinking and faith, there are two options for him: the first
one  is  the  traditional  ("My  grandfather  was  Orthodox,
therefore I  am Orthodox,  too.")  and  the  second  is  the
explorative. The  latter  is  very  rare  in  Bulgaria.  The
problem for us Bulgarians is that we cannot regard Orthodoxy
in a  lively way.  We are  burdened by an externally imposed
understanding and  have to  free ourselves  from the  custom
element of Orthodox ecclesiology, in order to penetrate into
the depths of the teaching itself. Unlike us, the individual
from America  or Western Europe firstly regards Orthodoxy as
theological system,  as a  sui generis way of thinking. Only
after that  he encounters  the religious  practice  and  his
impressions become  completed. Many  of these people on this
stage undertake  a pilgrimage  to the places where Orthodoxy
has had  longer history  (for example,  to  Mount  Athon  in
Greece). Many  of them  have the  chance to witness the life
and practice  of the  Orthodox Christians and on the grounds
of the  impressions they  have acquired  (which  are  purely
emotional, but  also blessed) they begin to study deeply the
systematic and dogmatic theology and find the big difference
between Orthodoxy  and the  other forms  of Christianity, as
they are known to the West.

P. S.:  For Bulgaria the returning to the bosom of Orthodoxy
seems to  be  far  ahead.  In  a  way  the  remoteness  from
Orthodoxy has  never been  felt so strong in this country as
today. I  remember an interview with a girl from "Truth from
Zion",  one   of  the  many  new  Christian  communities  on
Protestant basis,  where she  said: "What I need is a simple
faith which  can explain  the world  around me. With all its
symbolism, hierarchy  and dogmas  Orthodoxy is alien to me".
It seems  to me  that Orthodoxy  offers some  special  code,
which has  to be  understood, and  exactly  because  of  its
seriousness it reaches hardly its addressees.

M. S.:  It presupposes  effort, desire,  love. It is not the
passive faith of people, who have taken for granted the fact
of their  own salvation.  Salvation is  continually achieved
and defended,  and comes  as the  apogee after many years of
practice of  the true seekers. A formal religiousness cannot
satisfy a  true seeker;  he is poring over the symbol of the
gesture, of  the color,  which requires great concentration.
In this intensive age a man can hardly stop. Few people read
large books  nowadays; the  brief form  is the  form of  our
time. But when you apply this brief form to religion, to the
drive to  be adequate  to God,  this is never enough, as God
requires a total, not a half-way attitude towards Him.
     So there  is a  need for  efforts, even  for sacrifice,
thought as a process, as a non-violent second birth. In this
sense the  nowadays Bulgarian  youth needs Orthodoxy. It can
give a  serious attitude  towards the  world, something that
our age  is totally  missing. It has always offered ways for
the reproduction  of pure  spirituality even on common life-
style  level   through  the   outer   elemental   forms   of
religiousness, because  they are able to habituate a certain
world view.  There is  a very  interesting  observation:  in
countries like  Greece, where  traditional Orthodoxy has not
been oppressed  and the  believers have been free to confess
their Orthodox faith, the level of criminality is much lower
than in the other European countries.
     Many of  the religions, existing today, can be regarded
as religions  of comfortable compromise, combining unserious
attitude towards  the world  with  a  half-serious  attitude
towards God.  From this  point onwards  many problems arise,
both purely personal and social. Without being totalitarian,
Orthodoxy offers  a  special  canon,  which  can  assist  in
forming the  personal attitude  towards society  and towards
the person  himself. This  feeling of  the personal value is
one of the most creative aspects of Orthodoxy, which results
in its  capability to  preserve  the  national  identity  in
tribulations such  as the Turkish domination in the cultural
kaleidoscope of the Ottoman Empire.
     Today is  the time  when people search for god of their
own image  and likeness.  Such attitudes  are impossible  in
Orthodoxy, where man adapts to God, to the Gospel and to the
rules of  the church life. At the same time all this remains
in the  realm of  everyday life,  e. g.  one can  apply  the
principles of  Orthodoxy everywhere without becoming hostile
to society.

P. S.:  It is  interesting to explore the reflections of the
national  character   over  the   Orthodox   mentality   and
ecclesiology, especially in a Balkan context.

M. S.:  The nuances  between Bulgarian,  Serbian  and  Greek
Orthodoxy are quite delicate and almost indiscernible. While
for the  Serbs and the Greeks Orthodoxy is a symbol of their
national identity,  this is not valid for the Bulgarians. On
one hand they identify themselves as Orthodox, on the other,
they do not question the right of other Bulgarians not to be
Orthodox. The  inclinations towards nationalization of faith
are alien  for us.  The self-determination  of the Bulgarian
nation has  taken place  when the  last  century's  romantic
liberalism has  dominated  over  the  minds  of  Europe.  In
Bulgaria these  processes have  taken place  somewhat  aside
from the main stream of the other Balkan countries - we have
been the  last to  be liberated  from Turkish domination and
the church  independence was  achieved before  the  national
independence, with many sacrifices and compromises.
     In  their   essence,  however,   the  Balkan   Orthodox
believers, no  matter whether they are Bulgarians, Greeks or
Serbs,  are   very  much  alike.  All  national  differences
automatically melt on the ecclesiastical or liturgical life-
sensitivity level,  when people from different nationalities
consider themselves  brothers and sometimes feel closer with
each other even than with their fellow countrymen.

P. S.: It would be wonderful if more people felt things that
way.

M. S.: For me this is the way to normalize the relationships
on the  Balkans, as we have not had normal relationships for
the last  one hundred  years. The  politicians try  hard  to
overcome  the   contradictions  through   negotiations   and
treaties, but  I, as a believer regard politics as a surface
expression of  human relations.  All the national and ethnic
peculiarities also  materialize on  a surface level and only
the spiritual  contacts in  a  sphere  that  is  essentially
indicative for  the human  being can be stable; all the rest
is provoked  by interest  alone. It is very possible that we
never achieve a political union, but we already have another
union on another level, which can overcome the political and
ethnic opposing.  The more  ordinary people  from the region
realize that,  the more  difficult it  would be for the ill-
intentioned politicians  to speculate  with the  things from
the surface,  which have  always spoiled  the lives  of  the
nations.

P. S.:  The idea  of United Europe, (regarded as a spiritual
movement, not  as its  political materialization)  depresses
many people.  Generally speaking,  there aren't  any  voices
against the  Unification in  Bulgaria, in  contrast  to  the
sharp discussions in Western Europe. This could turn to be a
serious problem  for the Bulgarian Orthodox believers as the
apprehensions for losing our national and religious identity
already seem too real.

M. S.:  I personally  view United  Europe as Europe from the
Middle Ages,  only on  a higher  techonolical level. I don't
believe  in   the  Europeans'  superior  morals,  I  neither
consider it degenerative.
     Now everyone  seems to  be concerned about the economic
survival of  the nation  and there  is  hardly  anybody  who
concentrates on  its spiritual basis. The Bulgarians must be
ready for  United Europe  from their  own basis;  we  cannot
enter Europe  as Italians,  French or  English. We  will  go
there as  Bulgarians and  that means we will have to stretch
our hand  from the platform, on which we are standing and on
which we  can start to build. Our dialogue with the neighbor
will depend  very much  on the  quality of this common home,
which we will put together.

P. S.:  So, if we want to find our self-identity, we have to
reach our own root.

M. S.:  - and to start our way from this root, if we want to
have any  dialogue with our neighbors on the continent. When
a nation  joins a  political and  econimic union,  it has to
care about its national consciousness, culture, identity and
even pride,  if  you  want  to  achieve  a  conglomerate  of
nations-individuals,  which   mutually  harmonize,   without
displacing each  other from  the spheres  of influence.  The
Orthodox faith  and the  unity of the Church can prove to be
the basis,  from which  we will  start building  our  common
home, especially on the Balkans, but also on this planet.



                                                PLAMEN SIVOV



_______________
*A notorious  event in  the National  Palace of  Culture  in
Sofia, which  became an  indication of the activities of the
evangelical missions from Sweden in Bulgaria.


  This article was published in the October edition of the
  Balkan Media magazine, which covers Balkan issues and is
                   published in English.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
20-6 Church 
(by Plamen Sivov), last updated: 

     Sledvashtijat tekst e pisan ot edna bqlgarska monahinja
- Vera, bivsha himichka-laborantka. Poznavam ja ot blizo dve
godini i  znam, che  mina prez mnogo nehsta, za da stigne do
vjarata, a  posle -  i do monashestvoto. Shte postna pqlnija
tekst na  nejnoto ese  "Tazi cqrkva  e mqrtva; tazi cqrkva e
zhiva".  Nadjavam   se  da   vi  haresa.   Postvam  go   bez
razreshenieto na  avtorkata, no  znam, che  tja njama da ima
nishto protiv.  Pqk i  trudno mi e da se svqrzha s manastira
do selo Lozen okolo Sofija, za da poiskam razreshenie...

     Plamen Sivov


                    TAZI CQRKVA E MQRTVA
                    TAZI CQRKVA E ZHIVA

                           part 1

DO PRIJATELITE,
KOITO BOG OTDALECHI OT MENE.

     Milostivijat Bog-Vsedqrzhitel  mi vzemashe svoevremenno
vsichko, koeto bjah sklonna da obicham poveche ot Nego.
     Samo vas, prijateli, shtedro mi davashe.
     Blagodarja Bogu i za lishenijata, i za darovete.
     No  dojde   chasqt  i   na   tova   izpitanie   -   ili
prijatelstvoto, ili istinata.

     Ogromnijat kamqk,  kojto se  tqrkuli mezhdu  nas, skqpi
prijateli, e onzi kamqk za prepqvane, za padane i stavane na
mnozina, kojto  Otec prati  sred svoja  narod - Gospod Iisus
Hristos. I  po-tochno -  celostta na istinata, za kojato Toj
svidetelstvuva.  I   po-konkretno  -  Cqrkvata  mu,  tjaloto
Hristovo, "stqlb i krepilo na istinata" (1 Tim. 3:15)

                    *    *    *

     "Celijat svjat  vqrvi kqm  chistata duhovnost,  a ti si
trqgnala na  cqrkva" -  tozi vash  ukor se  opita da prepqne
pqrvata  mi   plaha   stqpka.   Otivah   na   praznika   sv.
Preobrazhenie Gospodne, no oshte ne razbirah kakva granichna
linija v  zhivota si  presicham.  Nali  cjal  zhivot  tqrsja
vechnoto,  sqvqrshenoto,   smisqla.  Dori   v  lichnoto   si
ezichesko vreme - po zakona, napisan v sqrceto.
     Vsqshtnost predi  desetina godini chesto vlizah v hrama
"Sv. Aleksandqr  Nevski" -  za  razmisql  i  za  molitva.  I
sveshti paleh.  No vse  neshto me  progonvashe -  tu  shumni
turisti, tu shetnjata na sluzhitelite. Ne, moeto nevezhestvo
me goneshe.  Ne podozirah  kakvo more  ot znanie  trjabva da
prepluvam, kakva  vjara i  smirenie trjabva da pridobija, za
da stane  hramqt moj  dom. Zatova dopusna Bog da vqzroptaja:
"Tazi cqrkva e mqrtva! Gospod ne iska da sqm v neja!"
     I ostavi  Toj nezrjalata  mi dusha  da skita  po  razni
chuzhdi pqteki  i uchenija.  Prochetoh njakqde: "Spasjava vi
ne cqrkvata,  a istinata."  Pozhertvah topql  dom,  prezrjah
nauka,  prestizh,   zaplata,  zagqrbih   zemni  udobstva   i
udovolstvija -  za da  izbjagam ot  lqzhata i  da zhiveja  v
Istinata. Gospod  milostivo  mi  vrqshtashe  vsichko,  koeto
bezkoristno Mu  otdavah. No  plodovete ot truda mi vse ne se
razhdaha -  vse glad  i zhazhda za dushata. Vsjako usilie da
ustroja  zhivota   si  uzh  po  Bozhijata  volja  sreshtashe
bariera. Socialisticheskata bqrkotija e vinovna - misleh. Ne
znaeh oshte,  che za Boga vsichko e vqzmozhno. Prozrjah naj-
posle, che  hodja v  tqmata na sobstvenata si volja. "Neshto
fundamentalno ne  razbiram  i  gresha.  Zashto,  zashto?"  -
cjaloto moe  sqshtestvo izlqchvashe tozi vqpros den i nosht,
sqznatelno i nesqznatelno.
     "Zashtoto ne  beshe v  Cqrkvata Mi"  - chuh otgovora na
rozhdenija si  den, v  kraja  na  nedelnata  sv.  Liturgija.
Njakakva zavesa  padna ot  ochite mi  i az  vidjah celija si
obqrkan zhivot  kato na  dlan -  naj-posle objasnen.  Vsjako
zagadqchno i  sqdbonosno sqbitie  beshe pridobilo  smisql  i
namerilo svoja  otgovor: "Zashtoto  ne beshe v Cqrkvata Mi".
"Zashtoto bez  Mene ne  mozhete da  vqrshite nishto."  (Ioan
15:8)
     Skqpi prijateli,  Bog ni  prashta  na  zemjata,  za  da
prezhiveem tova otkritie! Dobre bi bilo kato psalmopeveca da
kazhem: "Ot utroba majchina Ti si moj Bog" (Psal. 21:11). No
da skitash 40 godini v pustinjata na sveta kato chuzhdenec i
vnezapno da  se ozovesh  v svoeto  otechestvo -  nebesnata i
zemnata Cqrkva - tova e preobrazhenie, radost, blagodarnost,
za koito ne mi stigat vsichkite psalmi i slavoslovija.

                    *    *    *

     "Za  Pravoslavie   li?"  -   popitah  sudentite,  koito
sqbiraha podpisi  s tozi nadslov. "Krqstena li ste?" "Da, no
kakvo ot  tova?" - spomnih si nashija selski sveshtenik i se
namrqshtih. Chuh  oshte dumi  kato tradicija,  bqdeshte,  no
sjakash mi  govoreha na chuzhd ezik. "Interesuva me obshtoto
v  religiite,   edinstvenoto"  -   otgovorih  "no..."   -  i
velikodushno se  podpisah. Posle  reshih, che  trjabva da se
potopja  v   pravoslavnoto  uchenie   i  bogosluzhenie  pone
tolkova, che da razbera mjastoto mu sred ostanalite.
     ...I zapochna  edno neizpovedimo  prikljuchenie na uma,
dushata i  sqrceto. Kogato  trqgnah na  cqrkva,  pone  malko
osqznala kqde  otivam, Gospod  poiska da slozha vsjaka druga
cennost v  zhivota si na zhertvenata klada. A nali delata mi
bjaha posveteni  na Boga?  Na vsjaka  krachka trjabvashe  da
pravja izbor: ili celijat moj minal zhivot, ili Cqrkvata Mu.
"...I ves  zhivot nash  Hristu Bogu predadim...", kqnteshe v
ushite  mi  ektenijata.  Ne  pomneh  nastavlenijata  na  sv.
apostol Pavel  za Bozhija  dom, "kojto  e Cqrkva  na zhivija
Bog, stqlb  i krepilo  na istinata"  (1 Tim 3:15). No, slava
Bogu, edin vlasten uset za Istinata me vodeshe kqm Cqrkvata.
     Oshte ne  bjaha presqhnali  sqlzite mi  ot razdjalata s
moeto  svoevolno  bogosluzhenie,  oshte  ne  bjah  preminala
nevidimata vqtreshna  granica mezhdu  istina i poluistina, i
zavalja  vqrhu   men  Bozhijata   milost.  Vqn,   v   sveta,
zapochvashe krizata.  A az  vse po-iznenadana otkrih, che se
osqshtestvjavat dori  zabraveni zhelanija  - malki i golemi,
materialni i duhovni. Vse po-udivena vizhdah izpqlnenieto na
slovoto Bozhie  v svoja  zhivot:  "...ne  tqrsete  kakvo  da
jadete, ili  kakvo da  piete...Vashijat Otec  znae, che  vie
imate nuzhda  ot tova;  no vie  tqrsete Carstvoto  Bozhie  i
vsichko tova  shte vi se pridade" (Luka, 12:29-31). Rabota s
blagoslovija - tova novo za mene ponjatie stavashe realnost,
kogato Bozhijata pomosht izprevarvashe mojata molitva.
     Blagodat -  zapochnah da  razbiram tazi duma, chuzhdica
za vas, prijateli. Vqrvja po sofijskite ulici i gradini. Zad
vseki qgql iznikvat ugnetjavashti spomeni. Ne moga mjasto da
si namerja  -  chuzhd  i  neujuten  grad.  Zashto?  -  pitam
vqtreshnija chovek,  kojto znae  otgovora. Vlizam  v hrama i
zhivotqt mi  si vrqshta  jasnotata -  vqrvjah prez minaloto,
zhivjano bez  blagodat. Kogato  vsjako moe delo beshe spqnat
kon. Vsjaka  hvqrlena v  moreto  mrezha  -  prazna.  Sega  -
svoboda i  pqlnota -  tolkova  prost  i  jasen  kriterij  za
Istinata.
     Dve godini,  pqlni s  izpitanija  -  stqpka  po  stqpka
trjabvashe da razgranicha pqt ot pqteka; vsjaka misql i delo
da postavja v nova jerarhija na cennosti. "Ti imashe tolkova
duhovni interesi,  zashto ostavi  vsichko i  hodish samo  na
cqrkva? - chudite se vie. "Da ne si se fanatizirala?"
     Chovek, otkril  okeana na  Bozhijata blagodat i istina,
zagqrbva vsichko  po-malko ot  nego. Cennostnata  mu sistema
zapochva da  se rushi  i gradi ednovremenno. I edna bezmerna
blagodarnost izvira  ot sqrceto,  no  bezkrajno  malka  pred
Bozhijata milost.
     "Iisus Hristos  ne e  pqrvijat, kojto propovjadva mir i
ljubov mezhdu  chovecite. Tqrsi obshtoto, a ne razlichnoto v
religiite." -  pak prijatelski  me sqvetvahte vie. Nali i az
izpovjadvah sqshtoto  duhovno samovqzpitanie.  Problemqt e v
izkustvoto na razlichavaneto - na choveka ot Bogochoveka, na
pqtekata kqm Svetlinata ot samata Svetlina.
     Na  Rozhdestvo   Hristovo,  kogato  vsichki  podarjavat
svojata ljubov  na blizhnite,  Mladenecqt  -  Bog  kazal  na
blazheni Ieronim  v otkrovenie:  "Podari mi svoite grehove -
az zatova  se rodih".  Grehovete na sveta vzima Gospod Iisus
Hristos, ne  na edna  ili na  njakolko lichnosti  -  tova  e
nesravnimoto v  hrisijanskoto uchenie;  Bog se  razhda, a ne
chovek. No  kak shte podarim neshto, koeto njamame (zashtoto
ne vizhdame,  che go  imame)? Oshte  poveche -  zashtoto  ne
zhelaem da  se  razdelim  s  nego?  Vie  se  smushtavate  ot
nazidanieto na  vsjaka molitva  i  pravoslavno  slovo:  "Az,
chovekqt, sqm  greshen, greshen, i pak greshen." No radostta
v Boga,  kojato tqrsite, ne e vqzmozhna predi ada na zemjata
- osqznavaneto  na sobstvenata  vina pred samotnija Spasitel
na Krqsta.
                    TAZI CQRKVA E MQRTVA
                    TAZI CQRKVA E ZHIVA

                           part 2

     Zasricha dushata  mi molitvi i pokajni kanoni, tqrsejki
ogledaloto   na    svoja   zhivot.    Neobichajni   dumi   i
slovosqchetanija,  dvizhenija  na  chuvstvata  i  logika  na
mislite  -  trudno  gi  zapametjavah.  "Bozhe,  ochisti  me,
greshnija, ponezhe  nikoga ne  izvqrshih dobro pred Tebe..."
Iskrena li  e takava  molitva na  svetija! - pochti izvikah.
Dokato povtarjah  "...ponezhe nikoga ne izvqrshih dobro pred
Tebe...", razbrah  - tazi misql e analog na Sokratovata: "Az
znam,  che   nishto  ne   znam".  Pred  velichieto  na  Boga
choveshkoto znanie  i dobro  "kloni kqm nula", kakto uchehme
za  bezkrajno  malkite  velichini.  No  minava  zhivotqt  na
choveka bez da uznae shto e zlo i dobro i kak da gi izmerva.
     Milostivo i bqrzo otgovarja Spasitelja na vsjako usilie
da vidim  grehovete si.  Hvqrli me Toj v pokajnata bezdna na
samija zhivot. Tuk, na dqnoto na dushata, molitvata "Gospodi
pomiluj" e  kato dihanie.  Vse po-jasno  razchitah dumite ot
molitvite i  psalmite, veche  napisani na dushata i sqrceto.
Kak e  vqzmozhno predi  tolkova vekove  psalmopevecqt  da  e
kazal tova,  koeto toku-shto  sqm prezhivjala? "Njama zdravo
mjasto v plqtta mi...", "...Tvoite streli se zabiha v mene i
Tvojata rqka  tezhi vqrhu  mi..." (Ps. 37:1) "Otvqrni liceto
si ot grehovete mi i izgladi vsichkite mi bezzakonija. Sqrce
chisto sqzdaj v mene, Bozhe..." (Ps. 50:11-12) "Ti otdalechi
ot mene  prijateli i  blizki; moite  poznati ne  se vizhdat"
(Ps. 87:19)  "Gospodi, chuj  molitvata mi...Dushata mi e kqm
Tebe kato  zhadna zemja...  Nauchi me da izpqlnjavam Tvojata
volja, zashtoto Ti si moj Bog" (Ps. 142)
     Gospod  da   vi  prosti,   prijateli,  kogato  kazvate:
"Ogromna  propast   lezhi  mezhdu  bogosluzhebnija  ezik  na
Cqrkvata i  naroda." Tazi  propast e vqtre v nas i tja ne se
zapqlva s  palene na  sveshti, sluchajno vlizane v hrama ili
sv. Liturgija  po televizijata.  Tuk  samo  se  dokosvam  do
nejnoto bavno  i mqchitelno  preodoljavane. Vseki  sam  i  s
Bozhijata pomosht trjabva da se vgradi v tjaloto Hristovo.
     "Gospod, Bog  nash, e edin Gospod" i "Vqzljubi Gospoda,
Boga tvoego, ot vsichkoto si sqrce, ot vsichkata si dusha, i
s vsichkija  si razum,  i s vsichkata si sila" (Mark 12:29).
Revniv e  Gospod i  me izpita  - zapechatano  li e slovoto v
sqrceto mi.  Bjah trqgnala  da  se  poklonja  na  uchitelja,
kogoto   obichah.    Tri   godini   chakah   tozi   praznik.
(Predpolagam, che stava vqpros za duhoven uchitel ot njakoja
ot iztochnite  religii, prez koito Vera beshe minala - P.S.)
V sushtija  den i chas zastana Spasiteljat na pqtja mi chrez
moshtite na  mqchenik, polozhil  dushata si  za Nego. Otnovo
ili-ili. S uma si znaeh na kogo shte se poklonja, no sqrceto
mi se razdeli na dve. Tova beshe poslednata mqchitelna bolka
ot razlichavaneto  na choveka ot Bogochoveka. No ako za vas,
prijateli, Iisus Hristos e edin ot uchitelite na zemjata, to
bogovqplqshtenieto, Slovoto-Bog, Razpjatieto i Prishestvieto
na Spasitelja  njamat znachenie  za vashija zhivot. Vie sami
se lishavate ot bezmernata Mu milost - podarenata svoboda ot
greha. Mislite,  che rabotite za bqdeshtija vek na edinenoto
chovechestvo, a  vsqshtnost duhom zhiveete vqv vremeto predi
Hrista.

                    *    *    *

     Tazi epopeja  na dushata  ozhivjava v  mene pri  vsjaka
ektenija: "Zastupi,  spasi, pomiluj  i sohrani  nas,  Bozhe,
Tvoeju  blagodatiju!...   I  ves   nas  zhivot  Hristu  Bogu
predadim".
     "Blagoslavjaj, dusho  moja,  Gospoda,  i  cjalata  moja
vqtreshnost da blagoslavja Negovoto sveto ime. Blagoslavjaj,
dusho moja,  Gospoda, i  ne zabravjaj  ni edno  ot  Negovite
blagodejanija" (Ps. 102:1-2)

                    *    *    *

     "Koj e pqtjat na spasenieto?", popita edin mladezh sled
edna beseda.  "Cqrkvata", beshe  otgovorqt, a  az potrqpnah:
Kakva ogranichenost,  pqtishta mnogo!  Sega se uzhasjavam ot
vashija protest  - Zashto  ni e  Cqrkvata, i  to  nepremenno
Pravoslavnata? Tja  e neshto istorichesko, nepodhodjashto za
sqvremennite  inteligentni   hora.  Nie   chetem  Biblijata.
Hristos e  kazal: "Gdeto dvama ili trima sa se sqbrali v Moe
ime, tam  sqm i az sred tjah". (Mat. 18:20). Blagodarja, che
mi pokazahte  iztochnika na  protestantstvoto - gordostta na
choveshkija  um.   Vzema  toj,   umqt,  dva-tri   stiha   ot
Evangelieto, izvazhda  gi ot  konteksta na  cjaloto Pisanie,
otdelja gi  ot Cqrkovnoto  predanie, koeto  e plqt i krqv na
Evangelieto,  i   dvama-trima  pravjat   nova  "cqrkva".  Ne
podozirate  dazhe,   che   vashata   pozicija   demonstrira,
obosnovava neobhodimostta  ot Cqrkvata kato "stqlb i krepilo
na istinata"  (1 Tim.  3:15). Vie  imenno, kato inteligenti,
znaete kak lesno se oporochava vsjako po-vqzvisheno uchenie.
A  kolko  po-goljama  e  opasnostta  bogootkrovenite  vechni
istini da bqdat primeseni s lqzha.
     "...v Moe  ime..." No kakvo oznachava Negovoto ime? "Az
Sqm Pqtjat,  i Istinata,  i Zhivotqt" (Ioan 14:6). Principno
nevqzmozhno e  choveshkija um  sam da  izmine tozi  Pqt i da
postigne Istinata,  kakto e  nevqzmozhno pticata  da preleti
Vselenata. Za Boga vsichko e vqzmozhno: "A Uteshiteljat, Duh
Svetij, Kogoto Otec shte prati v Moe ime, Toj shte vi nauchi
na vsichko..."  (Ioan 14:26)  "A koga  dojde Onja,  Duhqt na
istinata, shte vi upqti na vsjaka istina..." (Ioan 16:13) No
Duh Svetij  govori samo  chrez sveti  choveci. Zatova Pqtjat
kqm  Istinata   e   izsledvan,   propraven   i   dokazan   s
preobrazenata,  bogoupodobena   priroda   na   svetiite   na
Cqrkvata, postignali  vechen zhivot.  Vie znaete - razlikata
mezhdu chovek i svjat chovek e ot zemjata do nebeto! Hiljadi
sa polozhili  dushite si,  za da ocelee Cqrkvata imenno kato
uchitel i pazitel na Istinata. Tja ne mozhe da se razkqsa na
chasti kato  hitona Hristov  i da  se osnovat  mnogo cqrkvi.
Edna e  Bozhijata istina  - edna e Cqrkvata Hristova. "Otche
svetij, zapazi  gi v  Tvoeto ime  da bqdat edno, kakto sme i
Nie", moli  se  Spasitelja.  (Ioan  17:21)  No  vie  s  edin
protestantski zhest  othvqrljate podarenija ot Boga korab za
prepluvane na grehovnoto more i predpochitate treschicata na
sobstvenite si  usilija. Gordostta  choveshka e  nachaloto i
kraja na  vsjako padenie.  Ne vizhdate  dazhe, che otrichate
neshto, koeto ne poznavate. Sega razbiram propovedta na edin
episkop, ozadachila  me predi  dve  godini:  "Bez  poznavane
zhitijata na  svetiite i  bez stremezh  kqm  podrazhanie  na
tehnite    dobrodeteli     njama    istinsko     pravoslavno
blagochestie."
     Ne    tqrsete    v    spodelenoto    tuk    bogoslovska
izcherpatelnost. To e samo prezhivjana opitnost.
     "Njakoj den  shte razberesh, che mozhesh da se doverish
na pet ili deset dushi i shte se razocharovash ot Cqrkvata",
predupredi me  sqchuvstveno D.  Eto, tova e drugata prichina
za nashija  razlichen  misloven  ezik.  Za  vas  Cqrkvata  e
partija, choveshka  organizacija, tja  e zhiva  ili mqrtva v
zavisimost ot  lichnostta na Patriarha i duhovnicite. Zatova
gi svaljate  i kachvate  kato partijni  funkcioneri. Za  vas
njama tajnstva.  No naprazno  e vasheto  sqchuvstvie  -  nie
imame Gospod Iisus Hristos.
     Vsqshtnost veche  prezhivjah gorchivinata na D. V kqsen
chas se vrqshtah ot nezavqrshen razgovor po cqrkovnite dela.
Sqznavah, che  se beshe poluchilo nevolno nedorazumenie i ne
bjah razbrana.  Pochuvstvah  se  samotna  i  bezpomoshtna  v
sumraka na  opustelite sofijski  ulici.  Izvednqzh  radosten
detski glas  zapja: "...Vozljublju  Tja,  Gospodi,  kreposte
moja..." No  tozi glas  beshe vqtre  v men,  v gqrdite mi, v
sqrceto - ne znaja - toj peeshe nezavisimo ot mojata volja i
sqznanie. Nikoga ne bjah pjala tozi psalom, slushala go bjah
samo na  sv.  Liturgija.  Tolkova  milost  poluchih,  a  az,
neblagodarnata, dopusnah  uninie. I  pak neizmerimoto Bozhie
milosqrdie - predi da kazha "Gospodi, chuj molitvata mi, toj
pochuka s  pesen na vratata na mudnoto nesmisleno sqrce: "Az
sqm s  vas, da  ne  se  smushtava  sqrceto  vi."  Togava  si
spomnih: "Blagosloven  chovek, kojto se nadjava na Gospoda."
(Ier. 17:7)

                    TAZI CQRKVA E MQRTVA
                    TAZI CQRKVA E ZHIVA

                           part 3


     Cqrkvata e  bogochoveshki  organizqm,  chijto  glava  e
Gospod Iisus  Hristos. Zatova  tja e svjata dori kogato sred
nejnite sluzhiteli  ima nedostojni. V neja sveshtenodejstvat
greshni hora,  no tja ne e samo horata. "Sveshtenikqt, kojto
krqshtavashe, beshe  mnogo nebrezhen,  no nad  nas se  izlja
ogromna sila,  nie ja  pochuvstvahme" -  prizna K. Eto, tazi
Bozhija  sila   ni  izprati   Otec  v   imeto  Gospodne   na
Petdesetnica i  osnova Cqrkvata.  Tozi Duh  Svetij izvqrshva
tajnstvata.  I  na  sv.  Liturgija  Toj  osveshtava  Bozhija
prestol, sv.  Darove i  bogomolcite spored  vjarata im. Nego
zovem v  molitvata:  "Carju  nebesni,  Uteshitelju,  Duh  na
Istinata, kojto  si navsjakqde...,  podatelju na zhivota..."
Zatova Cqrkvata  e  svjata  i  vselenska.  I  pak  e  zhiva.
Zashtoto Duhqt e, kojto zhivotvori.
     Vse  oshte   tozi  poroj  ot  prezhivjavanija  i  misli
sqprovozhda vsjako moe otivane na cqrkva.
     Predstoeshe  Bqdni   vecher.  Utrenjata   toku-shto  be
zapochnala i kraj men priizhdashe potok ot hora. Mezhdu tjah
i sqshtevremenno  vqtre  v  tjah  se  pojaviha  i  sled  mig
izcheznaha dve  figuri v  odezhdi na  svetii. Ochite  mi  sa
izmoreni,  kazah  si,  i  smesvam  horata  sqs  stenopisite.
Poglednah  stenata  -  behse  chisto  sinja.  Haljucinacija,
ukorih se, i zaslushah psalmite. Bjah zabravila smushtenieto
si, kogato  ot ljavata stena, pred ikonostasa, izleze chovek
v dqlga  roba i  trqgna kqm  vladikata na  trona,  govorejki
neshto. I pak ne povjarvah - nima az, duhovno sljapata, shte
vidja svetii?  Po-kqsno otkrih  sqshtite lica i odezhdi sred
obrazite na  sv. apostoli  v hrama "Sv. Aleksandqr Nevski" -
tam, kqdeto bjah pomislila "Tazi cqrkva e mqrtva"! V glavata
mi nahlu  chuto i  procheteno: Cqrkvata  e nebe  na zemjata.
Nebesnata Cqrkva  -  svetiite  i  angelite  -  se  moljat  i
slavoslovjat Boga  zaedno  s  chovecite  -  zemnata  Cqrkva.
Zatova  sveshtenosluzhitelite   kadjat  celija  hram.  Vseki
episkop priema blagodatta na edin ot apostolite.
     "Vqzpjavam  Tvoeto   krajno  dqlgotqrpenie,   velichaja
neizpovedimija Tvoj  promisql..." Shtom  na  hulite  ni  Bog
otgovarja taka milostivo, kolko li e shtedqr, kogato trqgnem
po tesnija  pqt kqm  Nego! Sega  razbiram - prez godinata na
moeto prohozhdane  v Cqrkvata  Mu Gospod  e podaril na mene,
sljapata, nevezhata,  greshnata, vsichko  neobhodimo, za  da
ozhivee v  mene vsjaka  duma ot devetija chlen na Simvola na
vjarata - EDNA, SVJATA, VSELENSKA I APOSTOLSKA CQRKVA.
     I ZHIVA CQRKVA!
     "Samo v  Pravoslavieto njama  chudesa!" - vqzropta edin
protestant. Prosti  mu, Gospodi, toj ne znae, che Cqrkvata e
Tvoeto naj-goljamo  chudo, dar za nas, nizshite duhom, za da
se vqzvisim do Tebe.
     "Bozhe, zastupnik  moj Esi Ti, i milost Tvoja predvarit
mja" -  ukrepi Bog  krehkata mi vjara, izprevarvajki adovite
sili na  razkola, i me spasi ot novi grehove. O, prechudna i
neizmerima dqlbochina na milosqrdieto... Bez prezhivjanoto i
az shtjah zaedno s vas, prijateli, da vikam "Dolu chervenite
vladici!"
     Da, tova  prepqva nashite  razgovori -  za  men  dumata
"Cqrkva" e  sinonim na Vselena - vidima i nevidima; za vas -
na Patriarha  i Sv.  Sinod. Kogato pravehme zashtitni verigi
okolo Negovo  Svetejshestvo, uzhaseni ot vashite huli, vseki
ot nas  braneshe svojata  sqkrovena, svjata  Cqrkva-Vselena,
nosena  v   dushata.  Zashtoto   znaehme  -  vie  i  vashite
sqmishlenici ste  nevolni i  volni orqdija  na  sataninskite
sili,   koito    celjaha   razrushavaneto   na   Bqlgarskata
pravoslavna   cqrkva,    zapochvajki    s    Patriarsheskata
institucija. (Stava  vqpros za  vqlnenijata okolo  razkola v
BPC prez  1992-93, oglavjavan  ot Hristo (Hristofor) Sqbev -
P.S.)
     Lichnoto prezhivjavane  na Cqrkvata  kato edna, svjata,
vselenska i  apostolska dava  na hristijanina setiva i razum
za  pravilno  razbirane  na  cqrkovnija  zhivot  i  negovite
problemi. Za  cqrkovnoto sqznanie e ochevidno, che trima ili
sto razkolnika ne sa chlenove na tjaloto Hristovo. Svetskoto
sqznanie  ne   razbira  dazhe   nesposobnostta  si  da  sqdi
Cqrkvata.
     Minavah kraj  vikachite na  Hristo Sqbev  i gi popitah:
"Koj ot  vas hodi  na cqrkva?" Vnezapnijat vqpros predizvika
iskren otgovor  - mqlchanie, lipsa dazhe na misql v pogleda.
Nakraja  viknaha:   "Komunistka!  Cherven  parcal!"  A  vie,
prijateli, znaete, che bjah "fashistka dqshterja"...
     Vseki grjah  mozhe da  se izmie  s pokajni  sqlzi. Samo
sataninskata  gordost  mozhe  da  ni  izhvqrli  zavinagi  ot
Hristovoto  tjalo.  Tozi  izbor  napraviha  razkolnicite  i,
zastavajki sreshtu tjah, minavajki prez kordoni ot policija,
nie  branehme   Cqrkvata  ot   duhovna  smqrt   -  greha  na
razdelenieto, kojto  i s  mqchenicheska krqv  ne se  izmiva.
Vsichki drugi  problemi bjaha  nishtozhni pred tazi otrova i
zaraza. Zatova  na 4  juni 1992  s vsichki sili na dushite i
telata si  otstojavahme  svetostta  na  Bozhija  prestol  ot
skvernija  opit   za  bogosluzhenie   na  razkolnicite,   ot
sataninskite krjasqci na borcite za nova "sinja cqrkva".
     I vie,  skqpi prijateli,  im priglasjate  - tova e naj-
goljamata mqka, s kojato Bog me izpitva. Dori edin ot vas mi
kaza, che  nie sme bili gonitelite na istinskite hristijani.
Eto vqrha  na nacionalnata  ludost i  razdelenie. Bog  da ni
prosti!
     Vinagi, kogato  kazvam ili  slusham v  hrama Simvola na
vjarata,  osbeno   "Vjarvam  v  edna,  svjata,  vselenska  i
apostolska  cqrkva",  blagogovejno  potrqpvam,  a  posle  se
kqsate ot  sqrceto mi  vsichki vie,  prijateli i  nepoznati.
Znaja, che  zhertvam sqkrovenostta  na moeto  prezhivjavane,
che  go  razpiljavam,  spodeljajki  go,  no  stiga  mi  tazi
nadezhda, che vseki v svoja chas, otreden ot Boga, shte chue
glasa na  Sina Mu, Gospod Iisus Hristos: "Zashto ne priemate
i gonite Cqrkvata Mi?"

                    *    *    *

     Ot greha  na bludnija  sin  nie  bqlgarite  kato  narod
mozhem da  se spasim  samo chrez novo pokrqstvane - v kupela
na pokajanieto. "Pokajte se, zashtoto se priblizhi carstvoto
nebesno" (Mat.  3:2) -  vika v  nashata pustinja  glasqt  na
zhivata  vselenska   Cqrkva.  Nejnite  uchiteli  ot  vsichki
vremena i narodi sa i nashi. Te sa pisali za nasheto sirotno
vreme. Zaveshtali sa ni obrazci na chistata duhovnost.
     Vqv vremeto  na sqblaznite  kak shte se obqrne kqm Boga
pochti cjal  narod? - otnovo shte vqzrazite vie. - Mladite i
upravljavashtite sa  obqrnali ochi kqm Evropa i Amerika. Da,
no nie  imame unikalen opit - znaem nesigurnostta na vsichko
zemno. Nie  umirame ot  glad za smisql. Gotovi sme da tqrsim
dqlbokite prichini  za vsichki  bedi. Veche  razbirame,  che
svobodata e  vqzmozhna samo kato svoboda ot greha, robstvoto
vqtre v  nas. Koj  shte postavi vqprosite na zhivota ni, koj
shte  tqrsi   otgovorite,  ako  ne  vie,  visoko  i  dqlboko
misleshtite? No  tova duhovno  samopoznanie e vqzmozhno samo
kato obshto  delo v  Cqrkvata. "Ima  Pravoslavie u nas - ima
bqlgarski narod;  njama Pravoslavie - njama bqlgarski narod"
- tova  preduprezhdenie na mitropolit Kliment (Vasil Drumev)
predi sto  godini beshe glas v pustinja. Togava, v nachaloto
na  sqblaznite,   inteligencijata  i  upravnicite  zagqrbiha
cqrkvata i  trqgnaha kqm  mnogoezicheska Evropa. Sega otnovo
seem  gorchivite   semena  na   lekomislieto,  gordostta   i
nevezhestvoto.
     Vremeto za  pokajanie izticha. Shte zabiem li kambanite
po cjalata  bqlgarska zemja,  za da kolenichim i v edin glas
da  se   pomolim:  "Vladiko   Bozhe,  Otche  Vsedqrzhitelju,
sqgreshihme  protiv   Tebe.  Ti   si  nashijat  Sqzdatel,  i
Promislitel, i Podatel na vsjako dobro..."
     "Gospodi Carju,  daj mi da vizhdam moite pregreshenija"
- gledam  sega dnite  si i  otnovo razbiram  zashto  slovata
"grjah" i  "milost" izpqlvat psalmite i molitvite. Da vidish
grehovete si  - nima ima po-goljama Bozhija milost? "Tvojata
milost e po-dobra ot zhivota" (Ps. 62:4)
     Otivah na  vsenoshtno bdenie,  osvobodena naj-posle  ot
neizpovjadanoto. No ne - prikovah se kqm vhoda na hrama kato
pred nevidima,  no  osezaema  bariera.  Edva  sega  istinski
razbirah i  prezhivjavah greha  si kqm  Cqrkvata. Edva  sega
pochuvstvah molitvata kato propusk za vlizane v hrama.
     Neizrazimo e  prezhivjanoto, koeto  porazhdashe  vsjaka
duma ot  bogosluzhenieto -  pqrvo padashe pregradata, kojato
sama bjah  izdignala mezhdu sebe si i Cqrkvata, posle dumata
stavashe ZHIVA.  Slovoto stavashe ZHIVO SQSHTESTVO, koeto se
vlivashe v  mene i az v Nego. Vseki pomenat svetec beshe tuk
- ZHIV  i DEJSTVASHT. Poklanjah se ne pred ikoni, a v nozete
na Spasitelja, na Bozhijata majka i na svetiite.
     "SLAVA  TEBE,   POKAZAVSHEMU  NAM   SVET!"  -  Velikoto
slavoslovie  beshe   veliko  i   za  mene.   "Cjalata   moja
vqtreshnost da  blagoslavja Negovoto  svjato ime!" - Tova ne
bilo metafora!  Otvorih ochi  na razsqmvane  i cjalata  moja
vqtreshnost peeshe:  "Blagosloven da  si, Gospodi, nauchi me
na Tvoite naredbi..."

                    *    *    *

     Krqgqt na  moeto desetgodishno skitalchestvo se zatvori
s tqzhno-krasiva  ironija - tqrsenata istina po chuzhbina se
okaza u  doma, no zarovena v dushite ni. Chistata duhovnost,
nezaviseshtijat  ot   vremeto  duhoven   zhivot  -   tova  e
Pravoslavieto, skqpi prijateli. Dojdete i vizhte!

V.V.
Sretenie Gospodne, 1993 g.

                              KRAJ



-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
20-7 What is Theophany (Bogoyavlenie/Yordanov Den)
(by Plamen Sivov), last updated: 

 BOGOJAVLENIE (JORDANOVDEN) OR THEOPHANY (MANIFESTATION OF
                      GOD) - 6 January

     Chestit imen den na Jordanovcite (malko e ranichko, ama
nishto).   Eto   nakratko   smisula   na   praznika   spored
Pravoslavnata curkva:

     Na tozi  den se  praznuva krushtenieto na Iisus Hristos
vuv vodite na reka Jordan (ottuk - Jordanovden). Subitieto e
opisano ot  vsichki evangelisti  (Mateja 3:13-17, Marko 1:9-
11, Luka  3:21-23 i Ioan 1:29-34) i se naricha Bogojavlenie,
zashtoto  pred   prisustvashtite  na  nego  ednovremenno  se
otkrivat trite lica na Svetata Troica - Iisus Hristos - Sina
Bozhi, krushtavan v rekata, Svetija Duh, slizasht vuv vid na
gulub nad  nego i  glasa na  Otca, proglasjavasht ot nebeto:
"Tova e mojat vuzlyuben sin, v kogoto e moeto blagovolenie".

ENGLISH: The  Orthodox Church attaches a great importance to
this feast,  because of  its deep  theological significance.
What is selebrated is not so much the historical fact of the
manifestation of  the Holy Trinity to the world for the very
first time,  nor the  beginning of Christ's public life, nor
again the  baptism, administered  by John the Baptist: it is
rather the  manifestation of  God's glory,  of His  love for
mankind, of His mercy and compassion expressed in the person
of Jesus  Christ, Who  assumed flesh and became Man in order
to become  a sacrifice of salvation for the sake of all men.
"The grace of God our Savior has appeared to all men" (Tit.,
2:11).
     Inspired by  the baptism of Christ and by this stirring
of  divine   life,  poured   forth  for  the  salvation  and
sanctification of  mankind, the  early Church  reserved this
day for the baptism of catechumens (in Slavonic "oglasheni",
e.g. those who are preparing themselves for the sacrament of
baptism,  but   are  not   members  of   the  Church   yet),
increasingly repeating  with St.  Paul: "As  many have  been
baptized into  Christ have  put on  Christ." ("Vie, koito se
krustihte v Hrista, v Hrista se i obljakohte").

     Na praznika  se pravi  Vodosvet, za  da pomnim,  che  s
krushtenieto si  Gospod osveti  vodata, a  s neja  i cjaloto
Tvorenie.

ENGLISH: Blessed  water  will  be  used  by  the  priest  to
sprinkle  the   homes  of  the  faithful.  The  priest  thus
consecrates to  God their lives and works and sufferings. "O
Lord, be in our thoughts, in our words, in our deeds, in our
tears and in our laughter. O Lord, let your presence be felt
in this  house, and  in those  who enter  therein, as it was
felt by  John as  You were  baptized in  the Jordan  River."
(from the ritual)

PRAYER, recited  by the  priest: "Today the land and the sea
divide between  them the  joy of the world, and the world is
filled with  rejoicing. The  waters behold  You, O Lord: the
waters behold You and they fear; the Jordan River turns back
its course as it beholds the fire of the Godhead coming down
upon it and entering it in the flesh; the Jordan River turns
back its  course as it beholds the Holy Spirit descending in
the likeness  of a  dove, and  hovering above it; the Jordan
River turns back its course as it beholds the Invisible made
visible, the  Creator existing  in the flesh, and the Master
in the  likeness of  a servant;  the Jordan River turns back
its course, and the mountains shout with glee as they behold
God in  the flesh. And the clouds give voice, and are filled
with awe  by the One who is coming, Light of Light, true God
of true  God; the  One who, in the Jordan River, has drowned
the death of sin, the thorn of error, and the bond of Hades,
and granted  the baptism  of salvation to the world. So also
am I,  your unworthy and sinful servant, encompassed by fear
as I  proclaim your  great wonders; and I cry out reverently
to you.



-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
20-8 Annunciation
(by Plamen Sivov), last updated: 073194


25 Maj - Blagoveshtenie. (Annunciation)

.Edin ot naj-svetlite pravoslavni praznici. V neznachitelnoto gradche
Nazaret edna mlada devica, sgodena za vdoveca Josif, poluchava otkrovenieto,
za koeto vekove nared sa mechtali pokolenija evrejski zheni - da bqdat udo-
stoeni s chestta da rodjat i vqzpitat bqdeshtija Mesija, spasitelja ne samo 
na evreite, no i na celija choveshki rod ot okovite na greha i smqrtta.
.Ot oskqdnite biblejski tekstove i apokrifnata ranna hristijanska li-
teratura Maria ni se otkriva kato neobiknovena zhena, nesluchajno izbrana za
velikata misija na bogovqplqshtenieto. NeSluchajno Cqrkvata ja naricha s naj-
razlichni imena, otrazjavashti nravstvenata j chistota i pokornost sprjamo
Boga - "prechista", "presveta"; kakto i osnovnoto j kachestvo - Bogorodica,
zhenata, ot kojato Bog poluchava chovechestvoto si, neobhodimo za pqlnotata
na izkupitelnata misija na Hrista.

.Simvolichno vseki ot nas nosi Hrista v sebe si, v mjarata na vjarata
si i dobrite si dela. Za da napredvame v hristijanskite dobrodeteli obache,
neobhodimo e kato Maria da se pokorim na Boga, da se smirim "dori do smqrt",
za da poluchim blagodatta v pqlnota.
.Neka na tozi den si pozhelaem duhovni ochi da vizhdame angela do se-
be si i neka se podgotvim da posreshtnem v duh na smirenie i chistota veli-
kata vest za Hristovoto vqzkresenie. Amin.

..Sledvat molitvite za tozi den, cheteni na liturgijata:

<P>Molitva kqm Bogorodica (Bogorodice, Devo; Hail Mary) - na slavjanski:

.Bogorodice, Devo, radujsja! Blagodatnaja Marie, Gospod s toboju;
.Blagoslovena si v zhenah i blagosloven plod chreva tvoego, jako
.Spasa rodila esi dush nashih.

.Rejoice, Virgin of God! Blessed Mary, God is with you; 
.Blessed are you amongst women and blessed is the fruit of your womb,
.because you have given birth to the Savior of our souls.

Dostojno est (Meet It Is):

.Dostojno est jako voistinu blazhiti tja Bogorodicu,
.prisnoblazhennuju i preneporochnuju i mater Boga nashego.
.Chestnejshuju heruvim i slavnejshuju bez sravnenija serafim;
.Bez iztlenija Boga Slova rozhdshuju, sushtuju Bogorodicu tja 
.velichaem.

.It is right and just to bless you, Oh Theotokos,
.everblessed and pure and the Mother of our God.
.More honorable than the cherubim and more glorious beyond compare
.than the seraphim; 
.Without defilement you gave birth to God the Word;
.True Theotokos, we magnify you.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
20-9 Holy Thursday and Holy Friday 
(by Plamen Sivov), last updated: 073194

..HOLY THURSDAY AND HOLY FRIDAY

.    (repost from an Orthodox listserver)

   "The vigil on the eve of Holy Thursday is dedicated exclusively to
the Passover Supper which Christ celebrated with his twelve apostles.
The main theme of the day is the meal itself at which Christ commanded
that the Passover of the New Covenant is to be eaten in remembrance of
himself, of his body broken and his blood shed for the remission of
sins. In addition, the betrayal of Judas and Christ's washing of the
disciple's feet is also central to the liturgical commemoration of the
day...The liturgical celebration of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday
is not merely the annual remembrance of the 'institution' of the
sacrament of Holy Communion. Indeed the very event of the Passover
Meal itself was not merely the last-minute action by the Lord to
'institute' the central sacrament of the Christian Faith before his
passion and death. On the contrary, the entire mission of Christ, and
indeed the very purpose for the creation of the world in the first
place, is so that God's beloved creature, made in his own divine image
and likeness, could be in the most intimate communion with him for
eternity, sitting at the table with him, eating and drinking in his
unending kingdom...Thus the 'Mystical Supper of the Son of God' which
is continually celebrated in the Divine Liturgy of the Christian
Church, is the very essence of what life in God's Kingdom will be for
eternity..."      "The Matins of Holy Friday is generally celebrated
Thursday night. The main feature of this service is the reading of
twelve selections from the Gospels, all of which are accounts of the
passion of Christ...The first service belonging to Holy Saturday,
called in the Church the Blessed Sabbath, is the Vespers of Good
Friday. It is usually celebrated in the mid-afternoon to commemorate
the burial of Jesus..." [From, "Worship"--"The Orthodox Faith" by Fr.
Thomas Hopko.]




===============================================================================
SECTION  21:  SPORTS

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
21-1 How did Bulgaria perform at the World Football (Soccer) Cups 
(by Karel Stokkermans), last updated: 

*** World Cup 1962 (Chile, May 30-June 17)
 
FIRST PHASE
 
Group IV (Rancagua)
Argentina       1-0 Bulgaria           1.HUNGARY          3  2  1  0   8- 2  5
Hungary         2-1 England            2.ENGLAND          3  1  1  1   4- 3  3
Argentina       1-3 England            3.Argentina        3  1  1  1   2- 3  3
Bulgaria        1-6 Hungary            4.Bulgaria         3  0  1  2   1- 7  1
Argentina       0-0 Hungary            (England takes quarterfinal spot ahead
Bulgaria        0-0 England             of Argentina on goal average.)
 
*** World Cup 1966 (England, July 11-30)
 
FIRST PHASE
 
Group III (Liverpool and Manchester)
Brazil          2-0 Bulgaria           1.PORTUGAL         3  3  0  0   9- 2  6
Portugal        3-1 Hungary            2.HUNGARY          3  2  0  1   7- 5  4
Hungary         3-1 Brazil             3.Brazil           3  1  0  2   4- 6  2
Portugal        3-0 Bulgaria           4.Bulgaria         3  0  0  3   1- 8  0
Portugal        3-1 Brazil
Hungary         3-1 Bulgaria
 
*** World Cup 1970 (Mexico, May 31-June 21)
 
FIRST PHASE
 
Group IV (Leon)
Peru            3-2 Bulgaria           1.WEST GERMANY     3  3  0  0  10- 4  6
Morocco         1-2 West Germany       2.PERU             3  2  0  1   7- 5  4
Peru            3-0 Morocco            3.Bulgaria         3  0  1  2   5- 9  1
Bulgaria        2-5 West Germany       4.Morocco          3  0  1  2   2- 6  1
Peru            1-3 West Germany
Bulgaria        1-1 Morocco
 
*** World Cup 1974 (West Germany, June 13-July 7)
 
FIRST PHASE
 
Group III (D"usseldorf, Hannover and Dortmund)
Sweden          0-0 Bulgaria           1.NETHERLANDS      3  2  1  0   6- 1  5
Uruguay         0-2 Netherlands        2.SWEDEN           3  1  2  0   3- 0  4
Netherlands     0-0 Sweden             3.Bulgaria         3  0  2  1   2- 5  2
Bulgaria        1-1 Uruguay            4.Uruguay          3  0  1  2   1- 6  1
Bulgaria        1-4 Netherlands
Sweden          3-0 Uruguay
 
*** World Cup 1986 (Mexico, May 31-June 29)
 
FIRST PHASE
 
Group I (Ciudad de Mexico and Puebla)
Bulgaria        1-1 Italy              1.ARGENTINA        3  2  1  0   6- 2  5
Argentina       3-1 South Korea        2.ITALY            3  1  2  0   5- 4  4
Italy           1-1 Argentina          3.BULGARIA         3  0  2  1   2- 4  2
South Korea     1-1 Bulgaria           4.South Korea      3  0  1  2   4- 7  1
South Korea     2-3 Italy
Argentina       2-0 Bulgaria
 
1/8 FINALS
 
Ciudad de Mexico
Mexico          2-0 Bulgaria



-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
21-2 How did the Bulgarian soccer team perform in the qualifications for WC 94
(by Dragomir R. Radev), last updated: 

Bulgaria  -   France 2:0         France   -  Bulgaria 1:2
Bulgaria  -  Finland 2:0         Finland  -  Bulgaria 0:3
Bulgaria  -   Israel 2:2         Israel   -  Bulgaria 0:2
Bulgaria  -   Sweden 1:1         Sweden   -  Bulgaria 2:0
Bulgaria  -  Austria 4:1         Austria  -  Bulgaria 3:1


GROUP SIX:
----------
                      P  W  D  L   F   A  Pts   GD
Sweden               10  6  3  1  19   8   15  +11
Bulgaria             10  6  2  2  19  10   14  + 9
--------------------------------------------------
France               10  6  1  3  17  10   13  + 7
Austria              10  3  2  5  15  16    8  - 1
Finland              10  2  1  7   9  18    5  - 9 
Israel               10  1  3  6  10  27    5  -17

(source: rec.sport.soccer)



-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
21-3 What is the schedule of the Bulgarian soccer team at WC 94
(by Dragomir R. Radev), last updated: 

The groups are:

A: USA, Switzerland, Colombia, Romania
B: Brazil, Russia, Cameroon, Sweden
C: Germany, Bolivia, Spain, South Korea
D: Argentina, Greece, Nigeria, BULGARIA
E: Italy, Ireland, Norway, Mexico
F: Belgium, Morocco, Netherlands, Saudi Arabia

The games for our group will be:

<PRE>
June 21 Tuesday    Foxboro        Boston    Argentina - Greece
June 21 Tuesday    Cotton Bowl    Dallas    Nigeria   - Bulgaria
June 25 Saturday   Foxboro        Boston    Argentina - Nigeria
June 26 Sunday     Soldier Field  Chicago   Bulgaria  - Greece
June 30 Thursday   Foxboro        Boston    Greece    - Nigeria
June 30 Thursday   Cotton Bowl    Dallas    Argentina - Bulgaria

</PRE>
3 points for a win, 1 point for a tie.

After this round, there are four possibilities for Bulgaria depending
on our rank in the group.

1st place: 
July 5 Boston vs. third place of groups B,E, or F

2nd place:
July 5 New York vs. winner of group E

3rd place (only the best four 3rd placed teams qualify):
July 3 Los Angeles vs. winner of group A        OR
July 4 San Francisco vs. winner of group B

4th place:
Good luck for Euro'96 in England. 16 teams will qualify for the finals
of the European Cup.

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
21-4 Bulgaria in WC94 
(by Dragomir R. Radev), last updated: 073194

preliminary round

   Bulgaria - Nigeria 0:3
   Bulgaria - Greece 4:0
   Bulgaria - Argentina 2:0

Rankings in Group D:

           W T L    GF GA   PTS
Nigeria    2 0 1     6  2     6  *
Bulgaria   2 0 1     6  3     6  *
Argentina  2 0 1     6  3     6  *
Greece     0 0 3     0 10     0


----
* - qualifies for next round

1/8 finals

   Bulgaria - Mexico 4:2 (p.k., 1:1 in regulation and OT)

1/4 finals

   Bulgaria - Germany 2:1

1/2 finals

   Bulgaria - Italy 1:2

3-4 place game

   Bulgaria - Sweden 0:4


total record:

4 wins (including one on p.k.)
1 tie
3 losses

10-11 goal differential

scorers:

6 - Stoichkov
2 - Lechkov
1 - Sirakov
1 - Borimirov


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
21-5 What is the draw for Euro'96 
(by Tsiel Ohayon), last updated: 

The Draw is out for the European Championships to be played in England in
1996.

Group I
France Romania Poland Israel Slovakia Azerbaijan

Group II
Denmark Spain Belgium Macedonia Cyprus Armenia

Group III
Sweden Switzerland Hungary Iceland Turkey

Group IV
Italy Ukraine Croatia Lithuania Estonia Slovenia

Group V
Netherlands Norway Czech Republic  Belarus  Malta Luxemburg

Group VI
Ireland Portugal Northern Ireland Austria Latvia Liechtenstien

Group VII
Germany Wales Bulgaria Georgia Armenia Moldova

Group VIII
Russia Greece Scotland Finland Faroe Islands San Marino


England + 8 Group winners make it directly.
The 6 Best runner ups make it as well.
The 2 runner ups with the poorest record play off on neutral ground


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
21-6 Bulgaria in the European Championships (1960)
(by Yulian Donchev), last updated: 

1958 - 1960 (This was the first one)

31.5.1959 Belgrade: Yugoslavia - Bulgaria 2:0
25.10.1959 Sofia: Bulgaria - Yugoslavia 1:1

         


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21-7 Hristo Stoichkov 
(by Iskander Ayari), last updated: 073194

        Name: Hristo Stoichkov

        Citizenship: Bulgarian

        Born on 08/02/1966 in Plovdiv (Bulgaria)
        Height: 1m78
        Weight: 73 Kg
        Position: FW
        Previous clubs: Maritza Plovdiv, USM, Youri Gagarine,
                        Hebross, CSKA Sofia, FC Barcelona.
        Palmares: Champion of Bulgaria (1987, 89, 90), Bulgarian
                cup winner (1985, 87, 88, 89), Bulgarian super-cup
                winner (1989), Champion of Spain (1991, 92, 93), 
                Spanish super-cup winner (1992), EC1 winner (1992),
                Golden boot "Soulier d'Or" 1990 (38 goals),
                "Onze d'Or" 1992.

        He is the son of a former employee at the Ministery of Defense.
Hristo Stoichkov started his football life in Plovdiv. As a "Number 5"
then switched to all positions. Un "exile" at Hebross Harmanli (near the
turkish frontier), and then the fabulous player moves in 1984 to the
militarians of CSKA Sofia. He was already distinguishable for his strong
character.

        Despite the incidents that occured during the 1985 cup final,
which opposed his team to Levski Spartak Sofia and that costs him to
be banned for life (PBG manager was in Bulgaria in that time and remembers
perfectly that game in which GK Mihailov from Levski was banned too).
The ban was then reduced to a 1 year suspension. "The bitch", renamed
later as "The fool" (because of all the things he says, and of his
extravagant behaviour), is going to reveal its talents.

       Elected three years in a row as "best player of the year", he
is going to win almost everything with CSKA. "Golden Boot" in 1990,
tying Hugo Sanchez, he moves to Barcelona.

        Despite a mitigated start, a new two month suspension and
conflictual relations with El Mister Cruijff -his past idole- (who
is going to make him be a "number 8"), the president Nunez and 
the refereeing staff, "Itso" becomes quickly Camp Nou's darling.

        On May 21st, 1992, he brings back the EC1 trophy to Barcelone.
Approached by Napoli, Inter and PSG, he finally decides to stay with
Barc~a (his contract runs till 96). After a terrific start of season
-he loses the "Golden Ball" (Ballon d'Or) with just a few votes
difference- he deceived last season. But this season, he rapidly
got to his optimal level, and is ready to face Milan in the final
of EC1, and to bring the Bulgarian National team its first win in
a World-Cup competition game.


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21-8 Bulgarian teams in the UEFA cups.
(by Plamen Petkov), last updated: 080195


1990-91
Champion's Cup (EC1)                   Cup Winers' Cup (EC2)

1rd
KA (Akueyri) Isl  - CSKA   1-0 0-3    FC Sliven - Juventus 0-2 1-6

2rd

Bayern Munich    - CSKA    4-0 3-0


UEFA (EC3)
1rd
FC Slavia   - Omonia (Nicosia) 2-1 2-4 

1991-992

(EC1)                                 (EC2)
1rd
FC Kaiserslautern - ETAR 2-0 1-1      FC Levski - Ferencvarosi (Hun) 2-3 1-4 

(EC3)
1rd
FC Slavia - CA Ossasuna Esp  1-0 0-4
CSKA - PARMA               * 0-0 1-1 
2rd
Hamburger Ger - CSKA         2-0 4-1

1992-1993

(EC1)                                  (EC2)
1rd
FK Austria Vienna -CSKA     3-1 2-3   FK Levski - Lucerne (Swi) 2-1 0-1*
  
(EC3)
1rd
FC Lokomotiv (Plovdiv) - AJ Auxerre        2-2 1-7
Fenerbahce (Tur)     - Botev (Plovdiv)     3-1 2-2

1993-94

(EC1)                                      (EC2) 
1rd
Rangers (Glasgow)  - FK Levski  3-2 1-2*     CSKA - Balzers (Lie) 8-0 3-1 
2rd
FC Levski - Werder (Bremen)     2-2 0-1      Benfika - CSKA       3-1 3-1

(EC3)
1rd
Lazio   - FC Lokomotiv (Plovdiv) 2-0 2-0 
Botev (Plovdiv) - Olympiakos     2-3 1-5    


1994-95

(EC1)                      (EC2)
                            Preliminary round
Mjamame predstavitel       FC Pirin (Blagoevgrad) - FC Schaan (Lie) 3-0 1-0  
                            1rd
                           Pirin - Panathinaikos  0-2 0-6 

(EC3)
Preliminary round
CSKA       -    Ararat (Yerevan) 3-0 0-0
Olimpija (Ljubjana) - FC Levski  3-2 2-1
1rd
CSKA   - Juventus                3-2* 1-5

* v posledstvie UEFA prisadi sluzebna pobeda (0-3) za Juventus zashtoto 
Mihtarski , ne e bil kartotikiran navreme i e njamal pravo da igrae v tozi 
mach za CSKA.


.Pechalnata statistika po otbori za poslednite 5 sezona

          uchastia  pobedi  ravni  zagubi  specheleni tochki  tochkov prinos
                                           za UEFA rankings   za uchastie
1. Pirin     1        2       0      2            4                4
2. CSKA      5        5       3     10           13                2.6 
3. Slavia    2        2       0      2            4                2
4. Levski    4        2       1      5            5                1.25
5. Etar      1        0       1      1            1                1
6. Botev     2        0       1      3            1                0.50
7. Loko Pl   2        0       1      3            1                0.50
8. Sliven    1        0       0      2            0                0


        .Statistika po godini za rodniat ni kluben futbol
            
             P    R    Z        Tochki        Broi na Otborite    Koeficient
                                                                  tochki/otb
1990-91      2    0    6          4                  3               1.333 
1991-92      1    3    6          5                  4               1.25
1992-93      2    2    4          6                  4               1.5
1993-94      3    1    8          7                  4               1.75
1994-95      3    1    6          7                  3               2.333

    



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21-9 How did Bulgarian teams perform in the 1993-94 UEFA cups
(by Dragomir R. Radev), last updated: 

1st round (Sept. 15 and Sept. 29):
  
    Botev Plovdiv - *Olympiakos 2:3 1:5 (UEFA Cup)
    Glasgow Rangers - *Levski 3:2 1:2 (Champions' Cup)
    *CSKA - Balzers Liechtenstein 8:0 3:1 (Cup Holders' Cup)
    Lokomotiv Plovdiv - *Lazio 0:2 0:2 (UEFA Cup)

    Note: the teams marked with * advance to the second round.

2nd round (Oct. 20 and Nov. 3):

    Levski - *Werder Bremen 2:2 0:1
    *Benfica - CSKA 3:1 3:1

    Note: the teams marked with * advance to the third round.



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21-10 How did Bulgaria perform at the 1992 Olympic Games
(by Dragomir R. Radev), last updated: 

GOLD
----
Ivan Ivanov                 Weightlifting 52 kg
Nikolay Boukhalov           Canoe 500 m singles
Nikolay Boukhalov           Canoe 1000 m singles
 
SILVER
------
Valentin Getsov             Free-style wrestling 68 kg
Vessela Letcheva            Air-Rifle
Nonka Matova                Smallbore Rifle - 3 positions
Nikolai Peshalov            Weightlifting 60 kg
Yoto Yotov                  Weightlifting 67.5 kg
Tsvetanka Khristova         Discus
DANIEL BOJINOV              BOXING 48 KG
 
BRONZE
------
Valentin Yordanov           Free-Style Wrestling 114.5 lb. (???? kg)
Maria Zdravkova (Grozdeva?) Air-Pistol
Yordanka Donkova            100 m Hurdles
Svilen Roussinov            Boxing 201+ lb. (????? kg)
Martin Marinov, Blagovest Stoyanov     Canoe 500 doubles
Stefan Botev                Weightlifting 110 kg
 

Comments:
A TOTAL OF 16 MEDALS (3 GOLD, 7 SILVER, 6 BRONZE)
In weightlifting (after all events) : 4 medals ONLY.
In rhythmic gymnastics : NO medal
Spelling : according to the official spelling used in the newspapers.
 
 

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21-11 Who are the most famous Bulgarian athletes of all times 
(by Dragomir R. Radev), last updated: 

I am accepting nominations for this entry.
So far (not in any specific order);

Georgi Asparuhov (Gundi) - football(soccer)
Dan Kolov - wrestling
Manuela Maleeva - tennis
Magdalena Maleeva - tennis
Katerina Maleeva - tennis
Stefka Kostadinova - track & field (high jump)
Yordanka Donkova - track & field (100 m hurdles)
Nurair Nurikyan - weightlifting
Stefan Botev - weightlifting
Antonio Krqstev - weightlifting
Naum Shalamanov (Naim Suleymanov) - weightlifting
Stefan Topurov - weightlifting
Hristo Markov - track & field (triple jump)
Tanya Bogomilova - swimming
Hristo Stoichkov - football(soccer)
Yordanka Hristova - track & field (discus)
Anelia Ralenkova - gymnastics
Iliana Raeva - gymnastics
Lili Ignatova - gymnastics
Petqr Georgiev - diving

...and a lot more



-- 
Dragomir R. Radev                                 Graduate Research Assistant
Natural Language Processing Group           Columbia University CS Department
Home: 212-749-9770  Office: 212-939-7121    http://www.cs.columbia.edu/~radev
-- 
Dragomir R. Radev                                 Graduate Research Assistant
Natural Language Processing Group           Columbia University CS Department
Home: 212-749-9770  Office: 212-939-7121    http://www.cs.columbia.edu/~radev
