Dobri Dobrev facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dobri Dobrev
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Dobri Dobrev in 2006
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Dobri Dimitrov Dobrev
20 July 1914 Bailovo, Kingdom of Bulgaria
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| Died | 13 February 2018 (aged 103) Kremikovtsi Monastery, Bulgaria
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| Nationality | Bulgarian |
| Other names | Elder Dobri, Grandpa Dobri |
| Occupation | Ascetic |
| Known for | Charity |
| Children | 4 |
Dobri Dimitrov Dobrev (born July 20, 1914 – died February 13, 2018), was a very kind Bulgarian man. He was better known as Grandpa Dobri or Elder Dobri. People also called him The Saint of Bailovo.
Grandpa Dobri was known for walking over 20 kilometers (about 12 miles) every day. He would go to the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sofia, Bulgaria. There, he would collect money to help others. He gave all the money he collected to charities, orphanages, churches, and monasteries. He lived to be 103 years old.
His Early Life
Dobri Dobrev was born on July 20, 1914. This was in a village called Bailovo. His father, Dimitar, died when Dobri was young. This happened during World War I. His mother, Katerina, had to raise her children by herself.
Dobri did not remember much about his childhood or school days. Later in his life, around 1940, he got married. During World War II, a bomb fell near him in Sofia. This caused him to lose almost all of his hearing. Dobri and his wife had four children. Sadly, he lived longer than two of them.
His Special Mission
As Dobri grew older, he became less interested in owning things. He wanted to focus on his Orthodox Christian faith. Around the year 2000, he decided to give away everything he owned. He donated it all to the Orthodox church.
After this, he started living a very simple life. He lived in a small room next to the Saints Cyril and Methodius church in his village of Bailovo. This was when he began his mission. He wanted to raise money to fix churches and monasteries across Bulgaria. Because of his simple life and his dedication, many people started calling him The Saint of Bailovo.
His Generous Donations
Throughout his life, Grandpa Dobri collected a lot of money. He donated over 80,000 Bulgarian lev. This is about 40,000 euros, which is a very large amount. He gave this money to churches, monasteries, and other good causes.
Some of his biggest donations include:
- 10,000 Bulgarian lev (about 5,000 euros) to the Saints Cyril and Methodius church in his home village of Bailovo.
- 25,000 Bulgarian lev (about 12,500 euros) to help fix the Eleshnishki Monastery. This monastery is dedicated to Mother Mary. He also helped the local church in the village of Gorno Kamartsi.
- 35,700 Bulgarian lev (about 17,850 euros) for the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sofia. This was the largest donation ever known for this cathedral, which is over 100 years old.
Grandpa Dobri was a very religious person. He often talked about Jesus to people, whether they gave him money or not. He was always very thankful to those who donated.
His Passing
Dobri Dobrev passed away on February 13, 2018. He was at the Kremikovtsi Monastery. He was 103 years old when he died.
