His name was Dobri Dimitrov Dobrev, but everyone knew him as Grandpa Dobri. He became a real character in Bulgaria and his popularity spread to many other countries. Have many also nicknamed him the Saint of Bailovo, for his great generosity. Although he was a beggar, he became an example of nobility to all.
Grandpa Dobri was born in Bailovo( Bulgaria) on July 20, 1914 and died on February 13, 2018 at the age of 103, little is known about his life, because, like all great human beings, he became better known for his work than to know the details of his biography.
- “You haven’t finished living the day until you’ve done something for someone else who’ll never pay you.
- “- John Bunyan-.
What made this man famous was the custom he adopted and maintained for the last 18 years of his life, every day he walked more than 10 kilometers from his hometown of Bailovo to Sofia.
There he begged and then donated whatever he could to churches or charities. Day after day he did the same, despite his old age.
In reality little is known about the life of Grandpa Dobri, it is said that all the people who have lived in Sofia for the last 20 years have met him at some point, for many of them the silhouette of this old man in rags has gone unnoticed; others, on the other hand, knew his story and considered him a saint.
Some people took their children to the elders to kiss their hand, they saw him as a person with a contagious angelic aura, even when many of those who knew him died asked for his canonization, they see him as an example of faith and love.
Dobri walked the streets of Sofia and asked for a coin from everyone who crossed his path, then donated the money, mainly to churches, it is estimated that in total he raised and donated about 40,000 euros during his pilgrimage period.
When asked why he had done this, he replied that in the past he had done something wrong and imposed a sanction for fulfilling this difficult daily task to obtain God’s forgiveness. He has not been a beggar in his whole life; began its mission in 2000.
Grandpa Dobri became famous on social media and the media when people learned what he was doing, through several interviews we got to know parts of his life, however, many others remain e wrapped in a mystery.
All we know is that his father’s name was Dimitri and that he died during World War I. He was raised by his mother, Katerina, Grandpa Dobri apparently enlisted in the army during World War II. During the war, a bomb fell near him, location and took most of his hearing.
He is said to have married and had four daughters, two of whom died in infancy, the rest is a mystery. All we know is that in 2000 he donated all his goods to church and charity, that’s when he started begging, just to give everything he was getting.
Grandpa Dobri lived in the sacristy of a church. He had virtually no furniture and received a grant from the government that allowed him to eat. I was sleeping at a table with the inscription: “You mustn’t steal, lie, commit adultery. Do you love others as God loves us?
Those who knew him received a smile and a kind word say that he had a docile character and that every conversation with him inevitably led to God, if someone did not want to hear it they did not care either. a documentary about his life, called Silent Angel.
In addition, a famous Bulgarian graffiti artist named Nasimo has created a huge mural dedicated to this man, which is still on display in a building in Sofia, his death has been mourned throughout the country, but many consider him still present among them. , thanks to the indelible imprint he left on those who benefited from his kindness.