Dobri Dobrev

For the association football player, see Dobri Dobrev (footballer).
Dobri Dimitrov Dobrev

Dobri Dimitrov Dobrev in 2010
Born (1914-07-20) 20 July 1914
Bailovo, Bulgaria
Nationality Bulgarian
Other names Elder Dobri, Grandpa Dobri
Occupation Ascetic
Known for Charity

Dobri Dimitrov Dobrev (Bulgarian: Добри Димитров Добрев) (born 20 July 1914), better known as Grandpa Dobri, Elder Dobri (Bulgarian: дядо Добри), or The Saint of Bailovo[1] is a Bulgarian ascetic who walks several kilometers each day to sit or stand in front of the Cathedral of Alexander Nevsky in Sofia to collect money for charitable causes. Dobrev[1] donates all the money he collects to charities, orphanages, churches and monasteries and he turned 100 in July 2014.[2] In Bulgarian Language his name translates as good or kind.

Life

Dobrev was born 20 July 1914 in the village of Bailovo. His father died in World War I and his mother had to raise their children by herself. Dobrev does not remember his youth and school years. He decided to marry around 1940, which is around when Bulgaria joined World War II. In one of the bombings of Sofia a bomb fell near him and he lost almost all his hearing. Dobrev and his wife had four children, two of which he outlived.

Over the years Dobrev became detached from the material aspects of life and devoted himself entirely to the spirit world. Around the year 2000, he decided to donate all his belongings to the Orthodox church and now he lives very modestly in a small extension to the Saints Cyril and Methodius parish church in his native village of Bailovo. About that time he embarked on his mission to raise funds for the restoration of churches and monasteries across Bulgaria.[3] It is this new direction in life and the example he gives with his asceticism that led many to call him The Saint of Bailovo.[4]

Charity

Over the course of his lifetime, Dobrev has donated over 80,000 Bulgarian lev (40,000 euros)[5] to churches, monasteries and other noble deeds. Among his biggest donations are:

Legacy

The good will is just and true. Everything in it is good. We must not lie, nor steal, nor commit adultery. We must love each other as God loves us.
— Dobri Dobrev

References

  1. 1 2 "Дядо Добри". БНТ. 17 December 2010. Retrieved 27 September 2012.
  2. ↑ "Дядо Добри на 100 години" (in Bulgarian). Vesti.bg. 2014-07-21. Retrieved 2014-09-19.
  3. ↑ Дядо Добри от Байлово – България on YouTube – част от филма „Лепта" (2000 г.), продукция на фондация „Покров Богородичен"
  4. ↑ "Дядо Добре Добрев – божий странник, пътник от бъдещето, Деси Велева". в. „Дума". 17 December 2011. Retrieved 27 September 2012.
  5. ↑ Yahoo News Canada, 31 May 2013
  6. 1 2 "Heavenly dreams of Easter". c. "Standard". 15 May 2012. Retrieved 27 September 2012. |first1= missing |last1= in Authors list (help)
  7. ↑ "This 99-Year-Old Man Begs Every Day And Gives It All Away To Churches And Orphanages", The Huffington Post, 27 February 2014
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