RODOPI PILGIMAGE - BULGARIA

PILGRIMAGES IN
THE EAST AND CENTRAL RHODOPEE MOUNTAINS

The first pilgrimage in the Rhodopee mountains was organised in May 1996 as a joint Bulgarian-Greek event. In the following years it continued as pilgrimages of students of theology and seminarists who participated most actively in the Church cervices and the Holy Lithurgy during their stay in the parishes.

The Rhodopee region is very important for the Bulgarian Church because it is inhibited partially by Bulgarians whose ancestors have been forcibly islamised during the Turkish oppression. Now the younger generation has been separated from Islamic tradition and fate and many become Christians again and are baptised. Many new churches and chapels are being built in the region. These pilgrimages in the Rhodopee mountains have been organised in order to establish and foster the relations between the Orthodox Christians from the region and the Christians from other parts of the country. The participants in the event want to participate in the Holy Liturgy together with their brothers and sisters from that area. They wish while chanting all the Christians participating in the cervices in the church to be able to experience the splendour of Old Slavonic psaltic music. Also having in mind the real needs of the spiritual enlightenment of the Christians from the region the organisers of the event have tried to provide enough leaflets, brochures and books as hand-out materials and as well books for the Church, school and public libraries. Special attention has been dedicated to the pupils of Church Sunday schools and the students who are studying the subject “Religion” in the state schools – for them have been provided books, textbooks, prayerbooks and small printed icons.

During their stay in the different towns and villages the participants have received a warm and touching meeting and have experienced the traditional Bulgarian love of the guests. Also in every place they have visited there have been possibilities for meetings and discussions with Christians from the area. Whenever there have been an opportunity lectures have been held and discussions have been organised by the parish prists. Several times meetings with the Church thrustees have been gathered. On all these occasions the Christians from the region have shared their feelings and inspiration from the build up of new churches and the reparation and restoration of the existing ones.

Always the participants have been invited to come back again whenever they like and to stay as guests of the priests and the Christians. It has been very exciting to meet, communicate and stay with these Christians who despite the untoward economic situation in the region which has been with the highest rate of unemployment in the last years, they still manage to keep their spirit high and to meet every difficulty with patience and courage.
Everyone who has participated in these pilgrimages in the Rhodopes do thinks that he has learned a lot from his association with the Christians from this region.