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The article investigates Dobrudzha (in the political boundaries of Bulgaria and Romania) – a zone of interpenetration of identities and cultural practices among the population as a result of its long co-habitation within the Ottoman Empire on the Black sea shores and on the banks of the lower Danube River. The author uses a syncretic approach, including observation in situ allowing both for the pointing out of the “internal” multiplicity of practices connected to one or more denominations, as well as for the outlining of ‘trans-confessional’ and the ‘trans-ethnic’ similarities – healing practices, contacts with trees, stones and springs as the intermediaries of the divine. The aim is to investigate some details, as well as to reveal common places and diversity.
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Folk Orthodox Christianity in Bulgaria is a product of Bulgarian Orthodox mentality: this is the canonical knowledge that partially alters its form in time under the pressure of extreme external factors but retains its core relatively unchanged. It has indirect expression in all folk forms while the direct one is in the Christian prayer, rituals, and different beliefs. An interesting manifestation of folk Orthodoxy in the Orthodox temples of the town of Samokov is the practice that could hardly be defined as “canonical” or “non-canonical”: in the chairs, which are also called the thrones in the churches, are placed paper plates with names of pa¬rishioners. These are people who paid a certain amount of money to the temple so that the church board put their names and they could use these chairs during the liturgy: they stayed each in front of his/her chair and sit down when it was allowed to sit. It was considered to be especially pres¬tigious to have a throne (chair) in the temple and the deprivation of this privilege was regarded as a major insult. As a rule, people who took care of the church, donated money and worked as volunteers had such chairs/ thrones. Name plates are always present in the temple space, so the person symbolically “always attends” the temple and liturgy. The beginning of this practice can be placed after the end of the fifteenth century when bishop thrones were placed in the Orthodox churches. Its ubiquitous dissemination dates back to the second half of the 18th century. The peak was in the 19th century, when after the age of the Tanzimat (1839) began the intensive construction of orthodox churches in the Bulgarian lands. It should be borne in mind that the name plates on the chairs in the churches could play their role only when the literacy among the Bulgarians became widespread in the first half of the 19th century and there was a public that could read the names.Folk Orthodox Christianity in Bulgaria is a product of Bulgarian Orthodox mentality: this is the canonical knowledge that partially alters its form in time under the pressure of extreme external factors but retains its core relatively unchanged. It has indirect expression in all folk forms while the direct one is in the Christian prayer, rituals, and different beliefs. An interesting manifestation of folk Orthodoxy in the Orthodox temples of the town of Samokov is the practice that could hardly be defined as “canonical” or “non-canonical”: in the chairs, which are also called the thrones in the churches, are placed paper plates with names of parishioners. These are people who paid a certain amount of money to the temple so that the church board put their names and they could use these chairs during the liturgy: they stayed each in front of his/her chair and sit down when it was allowed to sit. It was considered to be especially prestigious to have a throne (chair) in the temple and the deprivation of this privilege was regarded as a major insult. As a rule, people who took care of the church, donated money and worked as volunteers had such chairs/ thrones. Name plates are always present in the temple space, so the person symbolically “always attends” the temple and liturgy. The beginning of this practice can be placed after the end of the fifteenth century when bishop thrones were placed in the Orthodox churches. Its ubiquitous dissemination dates back to the second half of the 18th century. The peak was in the 19th century, when after the age of the Tanzimat (1839) began the intensive construction of orthodox churches in the Bulgarian lands. It should be borne in mind that the name plates on the chairs in the churches could play their role only when the literacy among the Bulgarians became widespread in the first half of the 19th century and there was a public that could read the names.Folk Orthodox Christianity in Bulgaria is a product of Bulgarian Orthodox mentality: this is the canonical knowledge that partially alters its form in time under the pressure of extreme external factors but retains its core relatively unchanged. It has indirect expression in all folk forms while the direct one is in the Christian prayer, rituals, and different beliefs. An interesting manifestation of folk Orthodoxy in the Orthodox temples of the town of Samokov is the practice that could hardly be defined as “canonical” or “non-canonical”: in the chairs, which are also called the thrones in the churches, are placed paper plates with names of parishioners. These are people who paid a certain amount of money to the temple so that the church board put their names and they could use these chairs during the liturgy: they stayed each in front of his/her chair and sit down when it was allowed to sit. It was considered to be especially prestigious to have a throne (chair) in the temple and the deprivation of this privilege was regarded as a major insult. As a rule, people who took care of the church, donated money and worked as volunteers had such chairs/ thrones. Name plates are always present in the temple space, so the person symbolically “always attends” the temple and liturgy. The beginning of this practice can be placed after the end of the fifteenth century when bishop thrones were placed in the Orthodox churches. Its ubiquitous dissemination dates back to the second half of the 18th century. The peak was in the 19th century, when after the age of the Tanzimat (1839) began the intensive construction of orthodox churches in the Bulgarian lands. It should be borne in mind that the name plates on the chairs in the churches could play their role only when the literacy among the Bulgarians became widespread in the first half of the 19th century and there was a public that could read the names. Folk Orthodox Christianity in Bulgaria is a product of Bulgarian Orthodox mentality: this is the canonical knowledge that partially alters its form in time under the pressure of extreme external factors but retains its core relatively unchanged. It has indirect expression in all folk forms while the direct one is in the Christian prayer, rituals, and different beliefs. An interesting manifestation of folk Orthodoxy in the Orthodox temples of the town of Samokov is the practice that could hardly be defined as “canonical” or “non-canonical”: in the chairs, which are also called the thrones in the churches, are placed paper plates with names of parishioners. These are people who paid a certain amount of money to the temple so that the church board put their names and they could use these chairs during the liturgy: they stayed each in front of his/her chair and sit down when it was allowed to sit. It was considered to be especially prestigious to have a throne (chair) in the temple and the deprivation of this privilege was regarded as a major insult. As a rule, people who took care of the church, donated money and worked as volunteers had such chairs/ thrones. Name plates are always present in the temple space, so the person symbolically “always attends” the temple and liturgy. The beginning of this practice can be placed after the end of the fifteenth century when bishop thrones were placed in the Orthodox churches. Its ubiquitous dissemination dates back to the second half of the 18th century. The peak was in the 19th century, when after the age of the Tanzimat (1839) began the intensive construction of orthodox churches in the Bulgarian lands. It should be borne in mind that the name plates on the chairs in the churches could play their role only when the literacy among the Bulgarians became widespread in the first half of the 19th century and there was a public that could read the names.
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The article studies the scientific heritage of the Tatar theologian, essay writer and public figure A. Bayazitov. The research is focused on the widely known works of the outstanding thinker as well as on the works that are poorly studied and even absolutely unknown to the modern academic community. The analysis makes it possible to give a modernist outline of the versatile works of Bayazitov. He was one of the first Muslim scientists who managed to bring the discussion on the future of the Muslim world to the level of an easily understood and scientifically grounded dialogue. Based on the best traditions of Islamic theology and modern philosophy, Bayazitov proved the possibility and necessity of social and cultural progress of Muslim peoples in acquisition of the achievements of the world civilization with unconditional preservation of their traditional spiritual and cultural values.
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The article presents data about the inheritors of the Old Bulgarian Prayers for Every Occasion which are known to scholars thanks to the Glagolitic Euchologium Sinaiticum from the 10th century. They were discovered in the manuscript prayer- and divine service books kept in the Zograf library on Mount Athos. The respective euchological texts are described in the manuscripts in chronological order by century; they are identified in accordance with their Glagolitic prototypes and their Greek parallels are given.
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The article, based on the mentioned sources, discusses the role of monastics who were forced to switch to the parish ministry in the conditions of persecution. Despite the absence of legal monasteries, many churches and Bishop’s houses formed monastic communities. The monks became guides of faith and performed the functions that they previously performed in monasteries. In the case of these communities having a legal status was not required. Many of them, despite their illegal status, were centers of faith, catechism, and charity. The study found that thanks to monastic communities and their illegal status, it was possible to transmit the foundations of the faith and intact Church tradition until the 1990s.
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The paper explores the motif of swift runner from the New Testament in Serbian 13th and 14th century hagiographies. The motif, which comes from the Saint Paul’s Epistles, was used by the Serbian writers (Sava, Domentijan and Teodosije) in its sublimed variant. The term has been borrowed from The Life of Saint Sava by Domentijan as it represents poeticised theological thought of Saint Paul. The purpose of the motif is to present the Serbian heroes as winners in the race for salvation, and as such it contributes to the overall portrayal of their personalities.
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The paper concentrates itself on the figure of the Alevi-Bektashi musician (zakir, Imam Jafer) in Kardzhali region, who has at the same time religious, social, and artistic roles in society. Because of his characteristics, this figure could be categorized as an epic musician. His non-professional, but specialized activity is presented through the insiders‘ views on the specifics, educational manners, musicians’ quality assessment and their differences in performing styles. A young Bektashi musician from the region, whose biography and performing manner are marked by the complex interaction between his great talent and strong religious feelings is also portrayed in the paper. The interaction itself determines his complicated path as a musician and as a member of a community of heterodox Muslims.
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This volume contains studies, articles and research reports dedicated to Prof. Petar Garenov and the 60-th anniversary of his death. In his life Prof. Garenov was part of the academic department of History and Archaeology of Povdiv University "Paisii Hilendarski". The title of the collection represents the person Prof. Garenov was - an outstanding theologian, Doctor of history, sculptor and painter, who received various awards in all these areas during his life. All the studies and articles in this volume cover a large area of topics and subjects in the spheres of History, Archaeology, Language and Literature. Some of the works contain illustrations and images used to support the arguments of a concrete author. All the Bulgarian and foreign authors of this edition are prominent scientists and experts in different scientific areas.
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The present study deals with the genre and the narrative features of the Martyrdom of St. Barbara (Martyrium S. Barbarae) according to its translation in medieval Slavonic manuscripts. The research explores the narrative and the structural specifics of the text.
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The paper presents the topics and contributions in the contemporary study of the culture of Muslims in Bulgaria. It discusses scientific publications with an anthropological focus from the post-1989 period, when the theme about ethnic and religious minorities in Bulgaria became particularly relevant. One of the main topics of research is the state policy towards Bulgarian Muslims in the 20th century, which receives a new interpretation and evaluation. The study of inter-confessional relationships remains one of the leading lines of research in the early 21st century, too. Numerous studies have been published on the various ethno-confessional groups – Bulgarian Turks (Sunni, Alevi), Roma, Tatars, Muslim Bulgarians. The publications analyze elements of their culture, issues of religion and identity. Ordinary people, their culture, their strategies for adaptation in the changing social environment became increasingly an object of study instead of political history. Changes occur also in the approach to research; attention is redirected from highlighting the common elements in the culture of Christians and Muslims to analyzing the specificities, the alternative memories, local culture and identity of Muslims in Bulgaria.
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One of the most prominent scholars in the orthodox world, the great Russian scholar and theologian Nikolay Nikanorovich Glubokovski, is connecting with the development of the theology in Bulgaria.
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Available manuscripts of Paul’s First Epistle to the Corinthians have a variant reading of Jesus’ words at the Last Supper in 11:24. The longer reading contains “take, eat” while the shorter reading does not. The two readings have a noticeable difference in meaning. The longer one highlights the individual value of the Eucharist; the shorter version, however, favors its institutional significance. The existence of both readings can be interpreted as a witness to an ideological dynamics in the early church. Depending on which of the two readings is considered prior, the church history would be seen either as an increase of clerical authority, or as an increase of value of the individual.
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The paper presented here aims at comparing the theological terms as used, on the one hand, in the biblical quotations in John the Exarch’s translation of De fide orthodoxa and, on the other, in the Old Bulgarian (Grigirovich Prophetologion, Codex Marianus, Codex Zographiensis, Sinai Psalter, Enina Apostolos) as well as in some Middle Bulgarian (Bologna Psalter, Karpinski Apostolos, Ohridski Apostolos) Old Russian (Mstislav Gospels, Yurievski Gospels, Pogodinov Psalter, Chudov Psalter, Tolstoev Apostolos, Hristinopol Apostolos) and Old Serbian (Shishatovatski Apostolos, Matich Apostolos) monuments. Also taken in consideration are the respective parts in certain theological writings associated with the Preslav Literary Centre.
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The paper examines the restoration of the church network in the Strandzha Mountains region around the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, tracing the interaction between builders and icon painters from the vicinity of Gabrovo and Tryavna within the context of this process. The study is based on fieldwork and archival research under the project Comprehensive and Innovative Methods for Identification and Study of the Tangible and Intangible Cultural Heritage of Central and Eastern Strandzha against the Backdrop of Migration and Demographic Decline, funded by the National Science Fund of Bulgaria. Here, published for the first time, are the inscriptions on the altar tables of the churches in that area. The historical records available testify to a large-scale, targeted policy aimed at reviving and fostering local church life in the decades following the Russo-Turkish Liberation War of 1877–1878 in the territory of the Municipality of Sredets (as opposed to the Municipality of Malko Turnovo, which remained within the borders of the Ottoman Empire up until 1912). Under the authority and supervision of Seraphim, Metropolitan of Sliven, and his Vicar Bishop and successor Gervasius of Leuke, the local church municipalities attracted builder teams from the vicinity of Gabrovo, which over time renovated the war-damaged temples in the town of Sredets and the village of Svetlina and built new churches in the villages of Gorno and Dolno Yabalkovo, Bistrets, Momina Tsarkva and, most probably also the churches in the villages of Fakia, Valchanovo and Varovnik. Active participants in this process were Dimitar Minev and Georgi Dimitrov, master icon painters from the town of Tryavna who painted icons for most of the abovementioned churches.
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There are three chronological groups of inscriptions on the Del-ula mountain in Mongolia. Most ancient ones are from Bronze Age; beyond that, at the different times in Middle Ages were inscribed, firstly, three families’ tamgas of the VIII—IXth centuries; secondly, near them, a single author has put two runic inscriptions in the Altai variant of the Yenisei alphabet in the IX—Xth centuries. Their contents can be interpreted as Manichaean; in this case, they tell about a repentance of a soldier having killed animals on hunting and about a gratitude to god for disposal of diseases. It can be further assumed that the author of the inscriptions was a preacher, who knew a common plot about the discussion (disastrous for the prophet Mani) between Mani and the shahanshah Varahran I in 276 and intentionally connected in his inscriptions the two subjects of the triumphing Manichaeism — the victorious doctoring and the humbled military or hunting valour. Spelling of the words täŋiri and altїmїš manifests some dialect features of the local speech, possibly Kirghiz.
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In this paper the inscriptions of the Sts Cyricus and Јulitta monastery at Gorni Voden are discussed. They give valuable information about the historical persons who contributed to the weal of the monastery. Based on them, it comes out that the monastery was built in 1835 with the donations of the habitants of the Greek community of Gorni Voden. The naos was painted in 1847-1848 with the sponsorship of laymen of Bulgarian origin, whereas the narthex was painted in 1850, during the time of the hegoumenos Gerasimos Iviritis, by the painter Alexios Athanassiou from Naoussa. The wood-carved iconostasis was painted with the help of Greeks from Philippopolis during the period of 1864-1871. Among the donors of the monastery laymen of Bulgarian origin dominate who come from the places Assamita, Gerdima, Gorni Voden, Guzurli, Edbek, Irinzik, Karaorman, Kezik, Meriza, Muldava, Tremezli and Chiflik mahala, as well as members of the guilds of the chandlers, the grocers and the snippers of Philippopolis. Donnors were also by separate persons from this town, as Georgios Kazandzoglou (1847), Georgios Athanassiou Kaftandzis (1864), Anasstasios hadji Dimitriou Koimdzis (1864), Athanassios Iakovou Argyriadou (1868), Vassilios G. Klieanthis (1870), Ekaterina A. Tomidi (1871) and Josif, as well as persons from the ecclesiastical circle, as hierodeacon hadji Makarios from Bursa, the hegoumens of the monastery Gerasimos Iviritis (1850) and hadji Jeronimos Philippopolitis, the priest Dimitrakis Chrisafi Frangakis and the monks Sofronios and Josif.
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