Jealously protected through the centuries the Christian faith continues to be for the Bulgarians a source of light and hope in days of joy or deep sorrow. That is why the love for God is still filling Bulgarian Orthodox Christians in their search of salvation and spiritual harmony. Especially strong is the love Bulgarians feel for the Holy Mother and the saints we believe to be the patrons of our nation. “In the Orthodox doctrine this owe is directed to the icon as the image of the original person, hence to God, who is the origin of all”, explains theologian Darin Alexiev, editor of the bilingual publication “The best known Miraculous Icons in Bulgaria”.

“The album The best known Miraculous Icons in Bulgaria depicts 17 icons. These are of course not all miracle-making pictures in this country. The selection includes the three famous icons of the Holy Mother from Rila, Bachkovo and Troyan monasteries. For the first time we talk of the miracle-making icon of St. Archangel Michael from Lovech and we have the story told by Bishop Gavrail. For the first time we are also telling of the especially strong icon of St. George from Yambol. According to registered information in the last two years only two of a total of 253 believers who have gone there to seek for cure, have left without finding it. People from all over that region know that the only place they can find real comfort is that very icon. The album also includes the miraculous icon of St. George from Nevrokop as well as the portrait of St. Joan the Theologian from Karnobat, whose story is related to Bulgaria’s liberation movement.”

According to Theologian Darin Alexiev the fact that in a small country like Bulgaria there are so many is very significant.

“Very curious is the case when in 1995 the Miraculous icon of the Holy Mother of Montreal came visiting Bulgaria. The icon had come to stay in Bulgaria for 3 days, but remained for a whole week. Joseph Munoz who accompanied the icon said on the occasion that Bulgaria is a country the Holy Mother especially loves. His words prove to be ever more true. Remember the case of the Bulgarian medical nurses from Libya, when the three miraculous icons of the Holy Virgin were brough together and the entire people extended prayers. Then, overnight, after many years of silent or louder diplomacy, the case got solved and the nurses wrongly sentenced to death were released. We tend to forget the moments when God has saved us. Miraculous icons have performed a great number of wonders and the fact that the flow of people towards them is constantly growing can only gladden us. Let us hope that our people turn to the spiritual side of life not only at holidays and not necessarily when the holiday is related to an abundant table but above all to a spiritual sensation. The holy fathers unite over the idea that the wonder in the life of the Orthodox Christian should not be the main point. According to St. Theophanous the Prisoner “the Wonder is given at a moment when faith does not suffice”. So the fact that there are so many wonders happening to people we know only comes to prove that our faith is still not stable enough. I hope that we, just like St. Apostle Thomas the Disbeliever, who after seeing the miracle and touching the wounds in the body of Our Savior got t believe, we also get to believe without the need of the miracle.”

In latter years the number of people who seek God’s help for easing their pain is actually growing. Many people spend the night in temples where miraculous icons are kept, with the hope that God would hear their prayers.

“Man turns to God when in need, Theologian Darin Alexiev continues. If he is sincere in that transformation it remains for life. I hope that the Bulgarian people after so many ordeals have come to realize that the only true help comes from God. In the second part of the book “The best known Miraculous Icons in Bulgaria” we tell of the miracles, which some of the depicted icons have performed. A sexton woman in a church where one of these icons is kept once told me: “God helps but only of you persevere”. And that is quite true. That is why I hope this flow of pilgrims to the holy places would not be restricted to holiday occasions but a permanent quest. In fact that is the true joy we find in faith – to be constantly in God.”

English version: Iva Letnikova