Grandfather Dobri, A Beggar Benefactor
His name was Dobri Dimitrov Dobrev, but everyone knew him as Grandpa Dobri and he became a character in Bulgaria, as long as he also transcended borders. He was also nicknamed by many “the saint of Baylovo” for his touching generosity. Although he is a beggar, he became an example of nobility for everyone.
Grandfather Dobri was born in Baylovo (Bulgaria) on July 20, 1914 and died on February 13, 2018, aged 103. Very little is known about his life because, like all great human beings, he became known more for his works than for the details of his biography.
What made this man famous was the custom he adopted and maintained for the last 18 years of his life. Every day he traveled more than 10 kilometers, from his hometown of Baylovo to Sofia.
There he begged, but then donated whatever he got to churches or charities. Day after day, he did the same, despite his advanced age.
Grandfather Dobri, an enigmatic character
In fact, not much is known about Grandpa Dobri’s life. It is said that maybe everyone who has lived in Sofia for the past 20 years has already met him. For many of them, the figure of this old man in rags has gone unnoticed. Others, on the other hand, knew his history and considered him a saint.
There were people for whom it was a ritual to introduce children to him so that the old man could kiss their hands. They saw him as a person with a contagious angelic halo. As soon as he died, many who knew him asked for his canonization. They see him as an example of faith and love.
Dobri walked the streets of Sofia and begged for a coin from everyone who walked past him. He then donated the money, mainly to churches. It is believed that in total he could have collected and donated around 40,000 euros during the duration of his pilgrimage.
When Grandpa Dobri was asked why he did this, he replied that in the past he had done something wrong and imposed a sanction to carry out this difficult daily task, to obtain forgiveness from God. . He became a beggar and began his mission in 2000.
Where does this character come from?
Grandpa Dobri rose to fame on social networks and in the media when his work was discovered. Through various interviews, certain episodes of his life have become known. However, many others still remain in the dark.
We only know that his father was called Dimitri and that he died during the First World War. He was therefore raised by his mother, Katerina. Grandfather Dobri was reportedly drafted into the military during World War II. During this clash, a bomb fell near where he was and lost almost all of his hearing.
He is said to have married and had four daughters, two of whom died young. Everything else is a mystery. We only know that in the year 2000, he donated all his property to the church and charitable institutions. He later started begging only to give everything he was given.
An entire character
Grandfather Dobri lived in the sacristy of a very poor church. He had almost no furniture and received a state subsidy which allowed him to eat. He was sleeping on a table bearing this inscription: “You must not steal, lie, commit adultery. We are to love others as God loves us. ”
Those who met him received a smile and a kind word. They say he was of a docile character and that any conversation with him inevitably led to God. If someone didn’t want to listen to him, he didn’t care either. They made a documentary about his life called Silent Angel.
Likewise, a famous Bulgarian graffiti artist named Nasimo made a huge fresco dedicated to this man which is still on display in a large building in Sofia. His death was mourned throughout his country, but many believe he is still present thanks to that indelible mark he left on those who benefited from his kindness.
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