At 103, he walks 20 kilometers a day to beg on the streets, then donates $46,000 to orphanages and churches: Meet Bulgaria’s ‘saint’ | World News
On a busy day in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, passers-by often see an old man standing quietly outside a church with a plastic cup in his hand. His clothes were worn out. His beard is long and white. To many he looked like a homeless pensioner trying to survive on loose change. Yet there was something unusual about the way people greeted him. Some stopped to kiss his hand. Others also bowed their heads respectfully. People who collect coins are not asking for money for themselves. Day after day, year after year, he raised more than $46,000, almost all of which he donated to orphanages, churches and charities.
How a Bulgarian ‘saint’ spent decades walking 20 kilometers with a plastic cup
His name was Dobri Dobrev, although most Bulgarians simply called him Grandpa Dobri.He was born in the village of Bylovo in 1914 and lived through the most turbulent period of the twentieth century. He lost his father during World War I, and later during World War II, a bomb exploded near him, causing severe hearing loss.By the time Dobrev became a familiar figure on the streets of Sofia, he had already experienced war, political unrest and economic hardship. However, the role that made him famous came much later.Instead of spending his retirement quietly, he adopted an ascetic lifestyle centered on faith and service. He gave up most of his possessions, moved into a small room in a local church, and devoted himself to helping institutions that were struggling to survive.For decades, he traveled between Bylovo and Sofia with nothing but a plastic cup and an unwavering sense of purpose.The journey itself became part of the legend.Bailovo is about 20 kilometers from Sofia, a distance that many people would think twice about walking even in their youth. Dobrev continued to travel into his later years. Some days he walked the entire route. In other ways, he combined walking with public transportation.Age doesn’t seem to change daily life.Residents are used to seeing him outside landmarks such as Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, one of Bulgaria’s most famous religious buildings. Tourists often mistake him for a beggar. Locals know there’s more to the story.The coins that dropped into his cup rarely stayed with him for long.Dobrev kept just enough of the basics. The remaining funds are carefully used for churches, monasteries, orphanages and restoration projects in need of support.
Where did the money go?
These donations are far from symbolic.Over the years, Dobrev has donated more than 80,000 Bulgarian levs, equivalent to more than 46,000 US dollars. This was an extraordinary sum for a man who lived on a meager pension and had next to nothing.The donation to the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sofia alone amounted to 35,700 leva. Church officials say it is the largest private donation ever received by a modern cathedral.Other donations have helped restore the monastery and supported local churches, which had struggled financially under decades of communist rule, when religious institutions often faced restrictions and neglect.The recipients vary, but the principles are the same. Money collected from strangers will be passed on to people and places Dobrev feels need it more than he does.His approach upends traditional ideas about philanthropy. Most philanthropists give out of abundance. Dobrev donated due to lack.
Why Bulgaria embraces him as a living saint
The Bulgarian Orthodox Church has never officially canonized Dobre Dobrev. However, he is known throughout the country as the “Saint of Bylovo”.The title came naturally.People were attracted not by his donations but by his consistent actions. Several years passed. The routine remains the same. He continued traveling, collecting coins and giving them away.Dobrev’s photo began to circulate widely. In some cases, he was blessing children. Other times, he stood quietly in the snow. His image is associated with humility, faith and generosity.Many who met him spoke of the calmness he displayed. He rarely sought attention and never attempted to turn his work into a public movement. The recognition came anyway.By the 2010s, he had become one of Bulgaria’s most popular public figures, admired by religious and secular communities.
Measuring the challenges of such a life
Stories about wealth are easy to quantify. Stories about influence are harder.The amount of Dobrev’s donation is impressive, especially considering his circumstances. However, focusing solely on the numbers may miss the larger meaning.Part of his meaning lies in the contrast between appearance and reality. An old man was seen asking for coins. Behind this simple image are decades of hard work, resulting in thousands of donations to causes that many forget about.His timing was also unusual. Most people slow down in their later years. As Dobrev entered his eighties, nineties and beyond, his charity work became even more visible.Images of centenarians continuing to carry out their daily missions challenge assumptions about aging, purpose and contribution.
What’s left after the coin disappears
Dobri Dobrev died in February 2018 at the age of 103.The plastic cup is missing. The familiar figure outside Sofia Church also disappeared. However, his story remains widespread outside Bulgaria, often shared by those looking for examples of generosity that are sincere rather than histrionic.Maybe that’s why he’s so memorable to this day.Many famous philanthropists are remembered for the wealth they accumulated before donating. Dobrev’s reputation developed in the opposite direction. He had very little, but for years he acted as if the needs of others were more important than his own.The next time someone passes a stranger standing quietly on a street corner, they’re unlikely to see another Grandpa Dobree. Then again, that’s exactly the point. Thousands of people passed him over the years without realizing they were looking at one of modern Bulgaria’s most outstanding philanthropists.
