WEEK OF THE ORTHODOX BOOK IN VARNA
“The Week of the Orthodox Book” has been organised with
the blessing of his High Eminence Kiril Metropolitan of Varna and Veliky
Preslav since 1999. Initially the main aim was to gather all the publishers
of Orthodox literature in Bulgaria and to present the recently issued
books (which at that time were relatively few). Also at the same time
have been organised seminars and discussions dedicated to actual contemporary
topics of the Church life. In the last two years the main them of the
event has been “The inner Mission of the Church”. In the
course of the events emerged the aim to gather publishers from the other
sister churches. Thus in the event in 2001 has participated a representative
of the Greek publishing house “AKRITAS”,Nea Smirni and in
2003 have participated two Russian publishing houses – the first
is the Synodal publications of the Moskow Patriarchate and the second
one is “Sibirska blagozvonica” and as well were presented
books of different publishers of Orthodox books from Serbia.
On
different occasion guests of the event have been Mitropolitan of Silistra
Ilarion, the Mitropolitan of Lovech Gavriil (both from the Bulgarian
Orthodox church), ieromonah Anatoliy Berstov professor, doctor of neuropathology
who is director of the center “St. Ioan Kronshtadsky” for
spiritual care of persons who have suffered from totalitarian sects,
occultists organisations and drug addicts (Russian Orthodox church),
father Radovan Bigovich lecturer in the Belgrade Theological Faculty
(Serbian Orthodox church), deacon Andrey Kuraev lecturer in “St.
Tihon’s Theological Institute” in Moskow (Russian Orthodox
church), many lecturers from the Theological Faculties and Spiritual
Seminaries in Bulgaria and also many priests and laymen from all regions
of Bulgaria and guests from abroad as well.
At
the same time of “the Week of the Orthodox Book” there are
also many cultural events like exhibitions of icons, photographs and
posters on social themes, concerts of church music, showing of Orthodox
video films and others.
Help
to the main organiser of the event, Metropoly of Varna and Veliky Preslav
have been granted by the Mucipality of Varna, the International foundation
“Unity of Orthodox peoples”, the Bulgarian-German cociety
for social work, Youth cultural center in Varna, the foudation “Pokrov
Bogorodichen” and Varna regional library “P. Slaveikov”.
In the last two years Balkan Orthodox Youth Association has been coorganiser
of the event.
During the course of the years this event has affirmed its place in the life of the Church in Varna and has become a forum for meetings and disscussions between Christians not only from the Bulgarian Orthodox church but also from the other sister Orthodox churches.