We, the undersigned inhabitants of Stroumitsa, Bulgarians by birth, have long cherished a desire to study in our mother tongue, but every time we tried to translate our desire into action we were invariably prevented from doing so by our spiritual leader Ierotei through his various intrigues in which he has been assisted by some of his supporters who have learned to live by the sweat of the people. This is being done despite the fact that His Majesty's Govern­ment has long since allowed each nationality under its rule to speak and write in its own language; we, however, are prevented from doing so through all kinds of perfidious devices from our spiritual leader and his henchmen. Exerting their influence three months ago they banished two teachers whom we had employed at our own expense, although we have the right to pay the people's teachers from the common funds, as the Greek teachers have always been paid and still are. Our teacher, having been expelled 15 days ago by Bishop Ierotei, our children run around the streets and since we have nobody else to complain to, we have no other choice but to address a petition to His Majesty's Government in Constantinople with the filial request that it graciously agree to issue a special decree allowing us freely and without let or hindrance to introduce the teaching of our mother tongue at our school. On the basis of this, we implore you, esteemed representatives, and accredit you with our signatures, to lodge this petition with His Majesty's Government on our behalf and to describe ver­bally our needs and our sufferings at the hands of our Bishop Ierotei who, in contravention of the Sultan's decree, persecutes our nationality and our language.
 

НБКМ, БИА, IIA, 4590; the original is in Bulgarian
 
 
 
 

Dear Slav brothers! As a Bulgarian I ask you to allow me to say a few humble words on behalf of that Slav ethnic community or people, known as Bulgarians who inhabit a considerable part of the Balkan Peninsula. I admit that my speech is poor and lacking in lustre, but I can assure you that it comes from the depth of my heart and is addressed with sincere love and profound gratitude to the great Russian people who have established the only powerful and strong Slav state in the world! (Approval)

Here, in this place, above our heads and above us all, a sacred flag is waving! This is a sacred banner which after a long separation has, for the first time, thrown its light over all of us, brother Slavs; on this banner we see the portraits of the holy apostles St St Cyril and Methodius, enlighteners of all Slavs without exception. No one will be prepared to deny that this sacred banner belongs to all Slavs. It does! Nevertheless, we should not forget that our Slav enlighteners and inventors of the Slavonic script, the St St Cyril and Methodius, were born in Bulgarian or - which is just the same - Slav Macedonia; that they lived and grew up among the people whose forebears spoke the same language which the Slav enlighteners studied in depth and into which they translated the Gospel.

From their hands all the Slav peoples, including the Russians, have received the Holy Gospel in a language comparatively accessible to all the inter-related Slav peoples. They and their faithful followers planted in the great Russian land the seeds of Slav knowledge and of the sacred and true Christian faith, which is the cornerstone of all the past, present and future historical development and enlightenment of the Russian people.

Brothers! This is not the occasion, neither do I have the time to unfold the annals which have recorded the historical destiny and deeds of the Bulgarian people. Nor can I now describe to you the role which the Bulgarian people has played and is playing in the historic development of the Slav peoples, nor can I explain how it created the foundations for the development of Slavonic-Russian letters on Russian soil through the works written in Slavonic or Old Bulgarian. But I think it is my sacred duty to tell the Russian people that the whole Bulgarian people is now suffering under the unbearably heavy yoke of the Asian barbarians! Russian brothers! Surely you who are strong and powerful in mind and in body, will not forget the long-suffering Bulgarian people which for more than five centuries now has been under the hateful yoke of the ferocious and blood-thirsty Turks! (No, we shall never forget!) Surely you, on whom God has bestowed all blessings in the broad sense of the word, will ex­tend a helping hand to the suffering Bulgarian people! (Yes, yes, we shall!) Brothers! The Bulgarian people is convinced that when the hour strikes — and that hour is not distant — the whole Russian people will hasten to its help in order to deliver the Bulgarian people from the age-long heavy yoke! ...

Here we heard the sounds of the mighty Russian language and of the Czecho-Slovak and Serbo-Croat languages. Allow me to say a few words in Bulgarian. I propose to raise a toast in Bulgarian. What a pity there is no wine! Mr. Zhinzifov was handed a glass of wine and holding it in his hand he read a poem entitled ‘A Toast,’ written by himself:

 
 

Райко Жинзифов, Публицистика (Raiko Zhinzifov, Publicises), vol. 2, Sofia, 1964, pp. 201-202, the original is in Russian
 
 
 
 
 
Кузман Шапкарев, Българский буквар, Част А или взаимноучителни таблици на наречие по вразумително за македонските българи. Цари­град, (Kouzman Shapkarev, Bulgarian Primer, part A — mutual-teaching tables for the Macedonian Bulgarians), Constantinople, 1868, p. 45; the original is in Bulgarian

 
 
Bulgaria occupies the largest part of the ancient Moesia, Thrace and Macedonia. The Bulgarian dialect is spoken from the mouth of the Danube to Salonica and the Lake of Kostour, from Zhelegrad to Ohrid. The line of the an­cient Roman road Via Egnatia² and mainly that part of it which links Salonica and Ohrid, may be taken as an ethnographic boundary, although it leaves some Bulgarian lands to the south and some Greek settlements to the north of it...; in Thrace Adrianople can be considered as the first frontier town in relation to Greece.
 

В. „Видовдан", Белград (Newspaper Vidovdan, Belgrade); No. 33, February 13th, 1868; the original is in Serbo-Croat
 
 
¹ D. T. Touninski, a Croat, a participant in Garibaldi's movement, and a journalist, connected with the Bulgarian revolutionary movement through L. Karavelov
² The ancient Roman road from Dyrrachium to Thessalonica
 
 
 
 
We have the honour to answer your letter and at the same time to thank you very much for the help you're rendering to the Macedonian Bulgarian peo­ple. Therefore, be assured that we do not at all think of abandoning you. To reassure you further, the teacher told us in detail what you spoke about, so rest assured, we would have done it this week and would have sent you encourage­ment and assurances, but since the teacher could not arrive we left the letters to be dispatched to Constantinople until next week. So, we reassure you in good faith.
The consignment from Constantinople will come through you, that is why we ask you to do your best for us, as we do.
Please, accept our cordial greetings in our answer.
 

БАН, НА, ф. 14, on. 1, a.e. 288, л. 17; Документи за Българското възраждане от архивата на Сте­фан И. Веркович. Съст. и подг. за печ. — Д. Веле­ва и Т. Вълов, под ред. и с предг. чл. кор, Хр. Христов (Documents of the Bulgarian Revival Period from the archives of Stefan Verkovic. Compiled and prepared for publication by D. Veleva and T. Vulov, edited and prefaced by H. Hristov, Corresponding Member of the Academy of Sciences), Sofia, 1969, p. 328, the original is in Bulgarian
 
 
 
The undersigned, as we ourselves are not in a position, due to our private affairs, in our eagerness to supply an answer as regards our Bulgarian affairs, and to preserve the integrity of our nationality, for better progress and com­munication, we appoint as supervisor and representative Mr. Stefan I. Verkov for our peace and comfort, we empower him to represent us, because he, as a man endowed with the best of qualities, a prudent man of common sense, will submit written or personal reports. Depending on the time, as a sign of sincerity he will report on what he has done about the Bulgarian nationality, for the con­cord of our people.
We are granting him this certificate, confirmed by our self-affixed signatures and as proof of public trust, to enable him to do his work freely and to supply an answer in all cases concerning our Bulgarian affairs. The acknowledgement that we shall recognize all his acts as beneficial to the people.
 

БАН, НА, ф. 14, on. 1, a.e. 288, л. 18; Документи за Българското възраждане от архивата на Сте­фан И. Веркович. Съст. и подг. за печ. Д. Велева и Т. Вълов, под ред. и с предг. чл. кор. Хр. Хрис­тов (Documents of the Bulgarian Revival Period from the archives of Stefan Verkovic. Compiled and prepared for publication by D. Veleva and T. Vulev, edited and prefaced by H. Hristov, Corresponding Member of the Academy of Sciences); the original is in Bulgarian
 
 
 
 
Letters as well as travellers arriving from Macedonia confirm the scan­dalous and dishonest practices of the Greek bishop¹ of Ohrid. Not only is he making the rounds of villages accompanied by Turkish gendarmes to collect his imaginary taxes by force from the poor people, but also his black intrigues have succeeded in closing the local Bulgarian school. On top of this, by means of his infernal artifices he succeeded in having the teacher Grigor Purlichev chained and imprisoned in the town of Debur. Poor Macedonia! Exposed most of all to the fury and malignancy of the Hellenic fanaticism, she has struggled and is stil struggling to assert the sacred rights of the Bulgarian nation with great perseverence but how many misfortunes and how many martyrs has the land с St Cyril and St Clement so far produced! Is there no end to the violence and malpractices of the Phanariots in these parts of the country? Is this the grace benevolence by means of which the Great Church wants to assert its rights over the Bulgarian people? What can its supporters - the Greek newspapers –
say to this? Are our cries in vain? Let them go and see what ruination has been wrought in these parts by the heirs of St Basil, St John and St Mark, as they like to call themselves.
 

В. „Македония", Цариград (Newspaper Makedonia), Constantinople, No. 3, December 14th, 1868; the original is in Bulgarian
 

¹ Meletius
 
 
 
 

Bitola today looks like a new Bulgarian town in every respect. If, however, we had cast even a superficial glance at its outward appearance, we should have long ago found it to be a Bulgarian town, because out of all the population of Jewish, Turkish, Wallachian, Greek and Albanian origin there is not a single person who does not know Bulgarian. Of all the languages spoken in the market, the most wide-spread is Bulgarian; but, if we look beneath the surface, we shall discover that the Bulgarian spirit is being suppressed in favour of Panhellenism.

Today, after a Bulgarian school for young ladies has been established, we have the honour to see it improved and provided with a new headmaster. The Bulgarian spirit is gaining ground. The St Nedelya church is Bulgarian in the full sense of the word. The local authorities already recognize the Bulgarians as a separate community. The noblest and most influential persons in the town are the leaders of the Bulgarian population in the town; they are constantly working for the education and enlightenment of their compatriots, and they represent the people before the Turkish authorities.

Many people have said that Bitola is the key to Macedonia. This is true. How the heart of any Bulgarian would throb with joy if he learned that this key was Bulgarian! I assure you, that as the local Bulgarian leaders are taking great care not only to improve the internal affairs of the town but are also endeavouring to help the neighbouring villages and towns with advice and material assistance and thus to awake the spirit of the Bulgarians there, Bitola will indeed become the key for unlocking throughout Macedonia the great idea of Bulgarianism, which has long been kept under lock and key.

Being inspired with joy as I see things flourishing here, I cannot help saying a word or two of praise of these noble people who have undertaken this highly commendable and valued cause worthy of their nobleness. Their names will be inscribed in bold letters in our national history, just as the names of the brothers Robev, Dimko Radev, Todorcheto, Dr. K. Meshaikov, etc., have been.

 
В. „Македония" Цариград (Newspaper Makedonia\ Constantinople, No. 12, Feb. 15th, 1869; the original is in Bulgarian
 
 
 
 

I received your valuable letter dated 5th of this month only yesterday by the Austrian post, because it was marked ‘Poste restante' and, as my sister Slavka was very gravely ill until four days ago, since when, thank God, she has grown better, I could not go to look for the letter, neither did they bring it to me.

I was glad to read and understand the contents of this letter of yours, and today, as I have time, I am pleased to answer you.

Expressing the deepest gratitude of the people, I thank you for the joyful news you are sending me about the efforts you have made in order that a letter of gratitude be signed by our compatriots there, too, addressed to His Royal Majesty, our just sovereign and master, beloved by the people, Sultan Abdul Aziz, about the draft of the Honourable Government regarding the solution of our national Church question. I wish you could also give me joy through the accomplishment of this undertaking. However, I can assure you that it will be far from what you think, not unsatisfactory but extremely fruitful. As for how much praise of men and heavenly reward will be given to such pious under­takings, I am confident that, of this, you have no doubts.

I am happy to learn that your description of the lands is ready, and that only the districts of Salonica and Ber are missing. I am ready to send you infor­mation about the former, because I have not yet been able to find the descrip­tion of the second district. Because of moving my various notes around many times, I cannot yet remember where I have put it. But one of these days I shall specially shake out all my books in the hope of finding it, and also the one about Pazar, but I fear that it has been lost, having fallen into the hands of those, who broke into my office in 1863. If I do not find it, however, it is not difficult to provide a new description of both districts. Do not worry about this.

You have been erroneously informed, that I have already become engaged to a virtuious maiden. If I remain of the same opinion till the end of my life, rest assured that I shall never, for any reason, become engaged either to a maiden or to a woman, because, as I know that even the Devil himself cannot serve women, how could I possibly do this! The truth is that I made an arrangement with one maiden, and God knows what will come out of it. Her mother is pure Bulgarian from your Volovishta and on her father's side she is half-Bulgarian but Hellenized. I have an explicit written agreement; if she learns written and spoken Bulgarian, she will be my betrothed, and only when she proves in prac­tice that she has indeed renounced the Greek nationality, and has joined the Bulgarian community, only then will she be wedded to me to be my Bulgarian wife for life, in compliance with the rules and requirements of the interests of the Bulgarian nationality, without any right whatever on our children, without her relatives having any rights on her or on her possessions. Now she shows a great desire to join the Bulgarian community; she has already learnt to read and write in Bulgarian; she has got as far as the pronouns in her studies and has now started to translate a little from Bulgarian into Greek. It is surprising! For she has learnt by heart the diminutive and flattering adjectives and verbs. And so I shall convey to her the good wishes of yourself and of your family only when she is worthy of them, as a Bulgarian. The other week another similar arrangement was made by a zealous Bulgarian with a Bulgarian girl completely Hellenized up to now, on the same conditions.

I cannot send you today what you asked of me in the previous letter, because I am writing from the home of my betrothed, Evka, who greets you and your family. As far as I am informed, Hilferding has gone to Europe. Father is preparing to become a Bulgarian bishop.

Please, accept and convey to all your family, each one personally, greetings and good wishes for the New Year from me and my whole family.

 
БАН, НА, ф. 14, on. I, a.e. 200, л. 37-38; Доку­менти за Българското възраждане от архивата на Стефан И. Веркович. Съст. и подг. за печ. Д. Веле­ва и Т. Вълов, под ред. и с предг. чл. кор. Хр. Христов (Documents of the Bulgarian National Revival, compiled and prepared for publ. by D. Veleva and T. Vulov, edited and prefaced by H. Hristov, Corresponding Member of the Academy of Sciences), Sofia, 1969, pp. 371-372; the original is in Bulgarian
 
 
 
 

My dear Drinov,

I should have written to you a couple of words long ago, but our wretched Slav laziness did not allow me to discharge this duty; incidentally, you should also know that every single day I work unceasingly from 7 in the morning till 5 in the afternoon. I learnt from your letter to Bonchev, and even earlier from your announcement in Makedonia¹ that you have prepared two Bulgarian books for publication. You must be praised for it! I wish, I very much wish, to have one copy of each and I impatiently look forward to receiving them. I also wish, my dear Drinov, to give away as presents several copies of your book, which will soon come out in Macedonia; so, on my behalf, take the trouble to send (will you publish the names of the contributors) 15 copies as follows: 4 books to the Bulgarian school in Veles; 4 books to the Bulgarian school in Prilep, 4 books to the Bulgarian school in Bitola where my old father is teaching, and another 4 books to the Bulgarian school in Kroushevo (not far from Bitola). I am sure that you will do it. In your letter (which I will expect at any rate) you will tell me the price of these 15 copies and in what manner I should send you the money: shall I send it by post, only it will not be in gold but in notes of credit, or do you wish me to hand it to Bonchev, and when he passes through Prague he will give it to you personally. I advise you to address my copies, as well as those you intend to send to Moscow, in the following manner: To the Administration of the Imperial Moscow University. Professor Nil Alexandrovich Popov. First, the books will arrive at this address quicker, and secondly, no censorship or customs officials will seize them.

If you want news, there is plenty, but I'll leave it for later because now I am tired as a donkey loaded with wood, coming home from the forest. The school holidays will be upon us in two weeks' time and then I shall have leisure to write you a long and detailed letter, after I have no doubt received your answer. Take care of yourself!

 
П. Динеков, Македония в преписката на проф- М. Дринов, Македонски преглед (P. Dinekov, Macedonia in the correspondences of professor M. Drinov, Macedonian Review), Sofia, XIII, 1942, book 2, pp. 70,71; the original is in Bulgarian
 

^l The author has the Makedonia newspaper in mind
 
 
 
 

In my last report from this city I told you something about the attempts of Serbian propaganda to make Serbs of the Bulgarians in West Bulgaria -Macedonia, and of the Bulgarians near the frontiers of Serbia; I also reported that this germ has not affected the heads of all the Serbs, and that most of the younger people are free of this sin, because they know the situation in their country and its attitude towards neighbouring peoples, and in confirmation of this I send you the following reliable facts received from a young Serb, a man of excellent reputation and proven honesty.

‘Recently I was called by Milos Milojevic,¹’ says he, 'who took me to a house and recommended two children to me whom I had to teach (these children are from Kroushevo, West Bulgaria). There we found a woman, ob­viously a Bulgarian, because she spoke Bulgarian. After the greetings, the woman, a simple artless creature unaware of Milojevic's intentions, began to tell me how, until lately, they had only one church in Kroushevo, which they shared with the Tsintsars, but now they had established a Bulgarian church with a Bulgarian priest. While she told me this, Milojevic nudged one of the children and the child began to cry: 'We are not Bulgarians, we are Serbs,' in Serbian, but his very speech showed what he was. But how can we blame an in­nocent child who is like a young sapling that you can bend at will?

Then Milojevic began to discuss the fee for the lessons and stipulated that in a short time they should forget every word of Bulgarian and that I should cultivate in them hatred towards the Bulgarians, because they would later serve as active tools for our aim - to convert all the people of Macedonia into Serbs. When I saw what Milojevic wanted from me, which was something contrary to humanity and my character, and something which would create discord between Serbs and Bulgarians, I refused to undertake such a Jesuit's job and I left him/

Let those who insist that what you have heard from a friend of yours about Veles and Sima is not true, let them, I say, tell you that this case, too, is not true, and it will not be long before I show them both the house and the man. This is all for the present and, if there are other things, I shall inform you in due time.

 
В. „Македония", Цариград (Newspaper Makedonia), Constantinople, No. 22, April 26th, 1869; the original is in Bulgarian
 

¹ Milojevic (1840-1907), an extreme Serbian chauvinist
 
 
 
 

Dear Drinov! I hasten to write to you a few words in response to your latest letter, whereby you tell me that both your books have already been published. Naturally, you have to send also 16 copies of the other work to the schools I named in my previous letter. In a word, I am a subscriber to both books. Have you collected many subscribers up till now? Don't you want some more? Here they are: on behalf of K. Bonev, send ten copies of each book to Turnovo and Elena. Also on behalf of K. Stanishev send ten copies to Salonica and another ten to Koukoush. Do not expect any further assistance from here! What about Peter Teodorov? Well, yes, he can answer you himself, if he wants to. I shall take pains to send you the money, the cost of all these 72 copies, if Bonchev decides to pass through Prague (he is hesitating because he fears the Balkan Mountain). I shall ask him to bring you the money, if not, I shall send it by post. As for the names of the contributors, use your own judgement.

I'm impatiently awaiting your Church History; it is of greater interest to me. The manuscript that has been forwarded has not yet reached Popov. I must tell you that one of the professors at the Moscow Theological Academy has also been working for a long time on A History of the Bulgarian Church, but I do not know when he will publish it. As for your church history, I shall publish a review in „Православное Обозрение" (Christian Orthodox Review) and „Современная Летопись" (Contemporary Annals),and I shall also prepare a review of both books for the Bulgarian newspapers. Let God give you good health and long life to work for the benefit of our people. This summer I shall not come to Prague either, because I have firmly made up my mind, if I do not die by that time, to make a long journey in the summer of 1870 to see Prague, Vienna, Belgrade, Bucharest, Braila, Athens and Constantinople; but quite a lot of gold is needed for this. I shall do this in order to settle the following problem for myself: can I find and is there a permanent job in Russia for me or will have again to teach in the Moscow high school? I would like to know about your future plans.

I've translated the greater part of Shevchenko's works into Bulgarian and this summer I intend to translate almost all of them, except his prose articles. I have already written a detailed biography of the Miladinov brothers, as well as some other small things. I do not know what to do with them, because I am not inclined to publish them, for as the proverb goes, 'once bitten, twice shy.' It would be the saddest thing (God forbid), if your books were not to cover their publishing cost. In fact, there is hope, because your books are quite different in nature from mine.

Take care of yourself!

 
Я. Динеков, Македония в преписката на проф. М. Дринов, Македонски преглед; (P. Dinekov, Macedonia in the correspondence of Professor M. Drinov, Macedonian Review), Sofia, XIII, 1942, book 2, pp. 71-72; the original is in Bulgarian.


¹Cf. Document No 104, April 1, 1869
 
 
 
 

Since we have not received a letter from you lately we deem it necessary to inform you about the following:

From other people we learn that you have sent us several numbers of the newspaper Pravo, together with a letter, but we have not received them as yet and that is why we beg you not to send letters by chance people because they don't reach us. It is true that we have not written to you lately, to inform you about .the girl's departure for Odessa together with our teacher and Mr N. G. Mandoushev; this delay was caused solely by the absence of our teacher. It is true we have a man to assist him, but we don't confide in everybody bearing in mind the proverb: 'He who has been stung by nettles is afraid even of the tassel flower.' Now they've come back, everything is in order.

We are pleased to inform you that we have also become members of the Bulgarian nation because it was determined by the Commission in Constan­tinople, headed by His Highness Ali Pasha, that, together with the villages around Melnik and the Northern part of the region, we are under the protection of the Bulgarian bishop in Nevrokop, being ourselves Bulgarians. Thank God we have received what we desired, and we are now expecting only a firman from our august king and father - Sultan Abdul Aziz.

We send you our sincere best wishes and remain your faithful brethren — the Bulgarian Commune of Nevrokop.

Iliya Doukov
Georgi Angelake
Stoitse Dimitre
Stoyo Atanasov
Ile I. Georgiev
 

НБКМ-БИА, IIA, 1206; the original is in Bulgarian
 
 
 
 
According to a dispatch from Press,² a bloody clash took place in Bitola between Bulgarians and Greeks, because the Bulgarians attempted to introduce the Bulgarian language into the church, and this was opposed by the Greeks.
 

В. „Застава", Нови Сад (Newspaper Zastava), Novy Sad, No. 135; November 14th, 1869; the original is in Serbo-Croatian


¹ Progressive newspaper where L. Karavelov collaborated
² Presse — Vienna newspaper
 
 
 
 

Our information from this town concerns Father Agapi, who opened a Bulgarian school in Voden not very long ago. But the malice of the Phanariots did not allow the school to function in peace, because they immediately slandered the teacher before the authorities in Voden, who in their ignorance sent the arrested Father Agapi with bound hands to Salonica where His Highness Sabri Pasha ordered his release as being innocent. We are assured that the teacher will receive all the necessary guarantees from the authorities, so that he may work peacefully and safely for the cause of education in this so far completely neglected, purely Bulgarian town, where the citizens after vainly attempting to defend him and secure his release from the local authorities ac­companied him with tears in their eyes even beyond the town, and later thirty people went with him to Salonica.

We are informed that some malicious people are spreading false rumours to discredit Father Agapi. But the teacher of Voden is well-known in our town and so far his reputation among our citizens has been spotless. This is the reason why we are warning our compatriots not to lend an ear to such rumours which are entirely groundless and which are being spread purposefully by ill-wishers.

 
В. „Македония", Цариград (Newspaper Makedonia), Constantinople, No. 3, Nov. 22nd, 1869; the original is in Bulgarian
 
 
 
On the 9th of December this year on St. Ann's Day, the priests of all the churches in Resen and thirty-two villages in the neighbourhood gave up men­tioning the name of the Greek bishop — Meletius — and instead they decided to mention in church and introduced forever the canonical name of the Bulgarian Synod in Constantinople. So today the name of our holy Synod is mentioned in the following Macedonian Bulgarian dioceses: Ohrid, Bitola, Skopje, Veles, Strumitsa, Kyustendil, Samokov, Polyanin and Moglena, thus there are now only three dioceses in Macedonia where the name of our Synod is not men­tioned solemnly: Salonica, Voden and Kostour, and some districts in the neighbouring dioceses, but they are also ready to omit the names of their Greek bishops and introduce the name of our Synod. So Greek Macedonia is now publicly proclaiming that it has been and is Bulgarian and not Greek, as some of the Greek fanatics would have it. We have always wanted and still want the real truth to come from the Macedonians themselves, so that it will be proved that the infallible Great Church made a mistake in deceiving the whole world that Macedonia and Thrace have been populated with Greeks ever since the time of Pericles, and so that it will be proved that the pseudo Bulgarian representatives (as they call them) do not act on their own initiative but on behalf of the whole Bulgarian nation, which recognizes them as their own and the holy Synod as the Synod of their canonical church, whose name they now mention in their churches.
 

В. „Македония", Цариград (Newspaper Makedonia}. Constantinople, No. 13, Dec. 31st, 1869; the original is in Bulgarian
 
 
 
We have received your letter dated 13 December sealed in an envelope and we understood what you explain to us. Thank you for your solidarity, which we consistently sought from our brothers. Then some of our priests were not here and this was the reason for our silence to your detailed answer. However, in 5 or 10 days' time expect a more detailed answer as to how we shall follow the instructions contained in your two letters. And so we remain your compatriots united with you by cordial love. The Bulgarian com­mune of Kratovo.
 

НБКМ, БИА, IIA 5926;the original is in Bulgarian
 
 
 
 

In response to your letter of September 26, 1869, No. 4,464 regarding the supply of information for the Committee on the activity of Western propagan­da agencies, on any charity establishments organized in the region of the Bitola Consulate, as well as on public education, I have the honour to inform you that in the region of the Consulate entrusted to me, there is only one Lazarite school in the town of Bitola, which was opened 15 years ago headed by the Abbot Le Paveque.

And yet, during all this time, Catholic propaganda has not scored par­ticular successes, in spite of the fact that using different methods, Le Paveque had succeeded in v/inning over to the Uniate several poor Bulgarian families from the regions of Veles and Tikvesh, but last year they all returned to the Eastern Orthodox religion, while their children, who studied in the Lazarite school in Bitola, left it and returned to their parents. As a result, Le Paveque was recalled to Paris, while Abbot Cassani, appointed in his place, has for the time being restricted his actions to expressing readiness to give lessons in French only to those children whose parents agree to pay him 30 (talers) a month. On this condition, five children of Bitola citizens are attending the Lazarite school.

Twice has Protestant propaganda tried to gain ground in Bitola, but both attempts were a complete failure, and, therefore, for three years now it has abandoned this district. As for the other charity establishments of Western propaganda, there are none in Bitola district.

Regarding the education, I consider it my duty to inform you that due to lack of funds for its development, its progress is very slow. Until very recently, little attention was paid to national education. With the exception of the regions of Prilep, Veles, Tikvesh and Kurchovo, church services and teaching in the schools were everywhere conducted in Greek, and a large number of the Bulgarians wrote in their mother tongue, using Greek letters. Church services in the Slav languages recently started in Bitola, Ohrid, Resen and Kroushevo. Although, at present, purely Bulgarian schools have already been opened in all the above-mentioned towns, since they are supported by church revenues, which, with the exception of Veles and Prilep, are scanty, these schools often need funds and, therefore, their results cannot be satisfactory.

Only in Bitola, Ohrid and Veles are there girls' schools.

There are nowhere schools in the villages, and only the village priests, who, in their overwhelming majority, know how to read and write, teach the letters to the village children.

In general, both types of schools - the boys' as well as the girls' schools, could be said to need trained school masters and school mistresses.

 
ЦГАОР, ф. 1750, on. 1, ед. хр. 72, л. 83-84 об. the original is in Russian
 
 
 
 
After filial greetings, we come to inform you of the developments you are interested in. As for the people's movement here, now it is in full swing, even though the hireling of the /Greek/ bishop is in our town. And still, he is like a foreigner to a priest's house. He also tries to interfere with the affairs of the peo­ple and of our local administration with his Phanariot treachery. In everything he has been exposed. We, however, have sent two telegrams to the /Bulgarian/ representatives in Constantinople, and a petition to the Vali in Prizren, against his cunning, and, when we receive the answer, we shall inform you of it. Nevertheless, we, the citizens of Stip, are in a pitiable position, because walnuts have grown scarcer in the market, as the good son of the black-capped clergyman has a passion for them, and because he has influence and great power only over walnuts. In all other matters he is neutral. (Willy-nilly). Ecclesiastical tides have been given to the priests everywhere. There are only two priests who have not received ecclesiastical titles, but these have been left without bread. Our church is very rude, because the bishop has been expelled from it (like a wolf from the flock). Consequently, the people's movement is thriving in our town, and marriage licences are being issued, and all. You often write to us about the book from the manciple priest. We ordered him to give it to your man. Semkata is in Salonica, and we shall write about Seizut later. About Strumitsa: Father Ierotei was expelled from Tikvesh, and there are in Constantinople representatives with his accounts from the monasteries. As for Bitola, Kostour and Skopje, just as in our town, these towns adhere to and make progress towards a sense of nationality. And things are going well. Veles and Samokov received circular letters from the Greek Patriarch in which he invites them to send representatives on the First of May to attend the council at Phanar, which is intended to discuss the Bulgarian question. But these gentlemen sent him back the letters rejecting the invitation, and protesting against the contents of his letter, because they had /their/ own representatives in Constantinople and /their/ own shepherds. As for the Patriarchate, they say, we have long forgotten and rejected it completely, and we do not know what name it bears (Ruined!!! Wonder of wonders!!!) As for the priests in our town and in our villages, they belong to the people, and the people follow them. They recognize the People's Spiritual Administration as their spiritual leader, and re­main unvanquished by the Phanariot and his blows. We make dust of his cun­ning. Apart from two Phanariot sychophants from among our priests, the rest belong to our people's Church with the exception of 5-6 manure-carriers and tar merchants!!! They go to visit him¹ to ask his blessing. And yet, naturally, we shall not fail to inform you about all the news. And so, we muster courage to call ourselves your spiritual children.²
 

НБКМ, БИА, IIA, 189; the original is in Bulgarian


¹ The Greek bishop
² The letter is signed by nine representatives of the commune, among whom are D. Zhivkov, H. Apostol, H. Mirkov, Temelko Karafil and others, and bears the seal of the commune; a postscript about a letter sent to Kratovo has been deleted.
 
 
 
 

We are submitting our present petition to your Excellency for the first time, daring to address you with filial respect, as children address their father, to greet you and inquire after your precious health (let God give you long life and good health), to kiss your strong hand with sincere reverence and, in short, to describe our needs. We do not doubt and we are fully confident that you will satisfy them perfectly and bring them to a happy conclusion in time.

So, encouraged by our compatriot, Mr. Spass Iliev, who is a member of our community, to address a petition to Your Excellency to ask for assistance and support for our nationality all over Macedonia, we express our heartfelt and sincere gratitude for the sympathy you feel for us, your dear brothers of blood kinship, and for your wisest parental counsel, oh, you dearest protector and patron! Therefore, kneeling, we beg for your powerful protection and assistance, that you may be the instrument that will save such a numerous Bulgarian Macedonian people from Greek perfidy and attacks.

Protector! We are making efforts, but we have no funds; we have the desire but we do not have the weapons, and therefore we beseech Your Excellency to help supply us with the things we lack so badly now. For in­stance, in our town we have two churches: Dormition of the Holy Virgin and The Holy Archangel Michael, but we have only one set of religious books. We leave it to you to realize how difficult it is to hold church services. We have no church vestments at all, we would like to install a bell, because bells have been installed in all the surrounding places, but we have no funds. We have a school, but it is inadequate in terms of a syllabus. We beseech Your Excellency to make efforts and present all those things to your co-religionists, and we shall glorify, honour and remember your illustrious name for ever and ever.

We cherish the hope and we submit to your wishes.

Your most obedient servants, the Bulgarian commune of Nevrokop¹.

 
Архив внешней политики России, ф. Славянский стол, (1862—1874) (Archives of Russia's foreign policy), 1862-1874, g. 3988, л. 147; the original is in Bulgarian


¹ The petition is signed by Priest Konstantin, Iliya Doukov, Stoyan Dimitri, Spass Iliev, Iliya Georgiev, Georgi Kostov, Nikola G. Mandoushev, Ivan Anastassov, Nedelcho Hristov, Stoil Ivanov, Yovan Georgiev, and another four whose names are not legible
 
 
 
 
All the loyal subjects and citizens in our Empire, enjoying complete and constant security in religious matters, as well as in all others, live together in peace and understanding, as it becomes fellow-countrymen and enlightened people. Our most cherished desire has always been that they contribute in this way, as far as possible, to the efforts which I am indisputably making to ensure the well-being of the country and the advancement of culture.

But in spite of all this we observed with regret the disputes and controver­sies which contrary to our good will, have lately arisen between the Bulgarians of the Orthodox faith and the Greek Patriarchate, i.e. concerning the relations between the Bulgarian archbishops, bishops, priests, the Bulgarian Church and the Patriarchate.

The following articles, the result of many discussions and much thought about the best solution of the difficult problem were formulated as follows:

1) A special spiritual jurisdiction shall be established under the name of Bulgarian Exarchate, which will include the below mentioned archbishoprics, bishoprics, and others; the Exarchate shall be authorized to manage all the church affairs of this religious faith.

2) The highest rank of the archbishops in this jurisdiction shall be the title of Exarch, and the Exarch shall be the canonical head of the Bulgarian Synod, whose permanent seat shall be close to the Exarch.

3) The internal spiritual management of this Exarchate shall be subor­dinated to the sanctions and approbation of our Sublime Porte; it shall be regulated by a special Statute, which must be in conformity, under all cir­cumstances, with the basic canons of the Eastern Orthodox Church, as well as with the principles of the Orthodox faith. The Statute shall be worked out in such a way that it will not allow the direct or indirect intervention of the Patriarchate in spiritual affairs, especially in the election of bishops and of the Exarch.

Immediately after the election of the Exarch, the Bulgarian Synod shall in­form the Patriarchate, and the latter shall as soon as possible issue all the necessary letters of confirmation, required by the Orthodox rites.

4) This Exarch, appointed by our Royal Decree, must mention in the liturgy, according to the canons of the Church, the name of the Patriarch of Constantinople.

Before any steps are taken, according to the instructions of the faith, for the election of a person worthy of the rank of Exarch, the opinion and the ap­proval of my Government shall be asked.

5) In all matters the solution of which (according to the existing laws) depends on him and which are concerned with places under his spiritual domi­nion, the Exarch may address the local authorities directly and if need be, our Sublime Porte; the decrees given to the clergy depending on him will be issued at his request.

6) In all matters concerning the Orthodox faith and requiring joint discus­sion and collaboration, the Synod of the Exarchate shall apply to the Oecumen-cial Patriarch and his Synod and they shall hasten to give their support or to send the necessary answers.

7)  The Synod of the Bulgarian Exarchate shall ask the Patriarchate of Constantinople for the chrism used in churches.

8) The bishops, the archbishops and the prelates subordinated to the Patriarchate of Constantinople shall freely pass through the territory subor­dinated to the Bulgarian Exarchate; the same refers to the Bulgarian bishops, archbishops and prelates in the bishoprics of the Patriarchate of Constantino­ple. They shall be free to go to the main towns of the district or to any other places where the local authorities are. But they shall have no right to convene their Synods outside their spiritual jurisdiction; they shall not interfere with the affairs of the Christians, who are not under their spiritual authority and they shall not conduct holy services in any other place of sojourn, without the per­mission of the local bishop.

9) As the Convent of Jerusalem in the Phanar suburb of Constantinople depends on the Patriarchate of Jerusalem and is under the jurisdiction of the Patriarch of Jerusalem, so the Bulgarian convent, situated also there, together with the Bulgarian church, shall depend on the Bulgarian Exarchate.

The Exarch has the right to stay at this convent whenever his affairs require his presence in Constantinople; either when he comes on business, or to conduct a holy service there. While in the capital, he must submit to and observe the same church canons observed under the same circumstances by the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Alexandria and Anthioch.

10) The spiritual jurisdiction of the Bulgarian Exarchate shall include the bishoprics of Rousse, Silistra, Shoumen, Turnovo, Sofia, Vratsa, Lovech, Vidin, Nis, Pirot, Kyustendil, Samokov, Veles, Varna (with the exception of the town of Varna and about 20 villages on the Black Sea coast up to Constanta whose population is not Bulgarian), the district of Sliven without the towns of Anhialo and Mesemvria; the county of Sozopol without the villages along the coast, the bishopric of Plovdiv without the city of Plovdiv, the town of Stanimaka and the villages of Kouklen, Voden, Arnaoutkyoy, Panagia, Novo Selo, Lyaskovo, Alhan, Bachkovo, Belashtitsa, and the monasteries of Bachkovo, St Bezsreburnitsi, St Paraskeva and St Georgi.

The quarter of the Virgin Mary in the city of Plovdiv shall be included in the Bulgarian Exarchate, but those inhabitants who are not willing to submit to the Bulgarian church and Exarchate shall have full liberty in this respect. The particulars of this shall be settled between the Patriarchate and the Exarchate according to religious traditions, principles and rules.

If all, or at least two thirds of the Orthodox Christian population in other places, besides those enumerated above, are willing to accept the supremacy of the Bulgarian Exarchate in religious matters and, if this is duly proved, they will be allowed to do so, but this shall happen only by the will and with agree­ment of all or, at least, two thirds of the population. Those, who try by these means to create trouble and disturbances among the population, will be persecuted and punished according to the law.

11) The rules which, according to the canons, govern the position of the monasteries dependent on the Patriarchate but situated on the territory of the Bulgarian Exarchate, must be kept and observed as before.

Since the above-mentioned regulations were found sufficient to satisfy the lawful demands of the population and to put an end to the unfortunate dis­cords, our Government approved them; they shall in future be respected as laws and the present firman was issued to make it known that our definite will is that they shall not be violated and there shall be no departure from them.

Христо Христов, Николай Генчев, Българско въз­раждане (Hristo Hristov, Nikolai Genchev, Bulgarian National Revival), Sofia, 1969, pp. 212-214 the original is in Turkish



 
 

I have safely received the 45 ducats.

I learned from a reliable source that from St Demetrius Day up till now no movement of military detachments has been observed along the line between Salonica, Skopje and Bitola.

According to the assurances of the merchants, all the troops concentrated along the frontiers with your country and Montenegro were transported there by sea through Sutorina and Antivari. So far, complete calm reigns both in our district and the district of Drama, and there are not the least signs of any move­ment of the military forces in the near future. But if I detect anything, I shall in­form you immediately.

Today I was informed by a reliable man that from St Demetrius Day onwards about ten suspicious strangers with Russian, Italian and German passports have been seen in the area of Nevrokop. My friend told me that these strangers were Bulgarian, Italian and Wallachian by nationality. He managed to learn the name of only one of them - 'Bandiera'. They all try to pass as merchants, but they buy nothing and only wander from village to village. The contradictory explanations which they have given about their activities so far have made the local authorities suspicious of them, and the head of the police in Nevrokop has received a secret instruction from the local pasha to watch them carefully at every step. One of them — with a Russian passport but born in the district of Nevrokop - came to Seres but the Turks arrested him and in­terrogated him from morning till night, trying to learn the reason for his arrival here. The man who told me about them assured me that the local people con­sidered them to be secret emissaries of the Bulgarian Committee in Wallachia and were afraid that the strangers intended to organize a revolt in this area at the beginning of spring like the Greeks in Epirus. The Bulgarian who was arrested here has lived abroad for 25 years, and was recently in the Russian ar­my. I shall inform you immediately about everything I learn of the activities of these emissaries.

The day before yesterday a dispatch from Constantinople was received here with the cheering news that the Sultan has confirmed the independence of the Bulgarian church with a firman. This cheered the Bulgarians very much and the Graecomanes received it with astonishment. This is clear from the fact that the latter are visiting all the Turkish officials here and are frightening them with the rumour that the Bulgarians desired an independent church because they wanted unification with Serbia. I learned this from the local bimbashi who is a friend of mine.

 
Архив Историског института, САНУ, Збирка Joвaнa Ристиhа, инв. бр. 12/283, сигн. ХП/5; (Archive of the Historical Institute, Collection Jovan Ristic) See Ана Райкова, Документи за националноосвободителното движение в Македония през 70-те години на XIX в., Исторически преглед; (Ana Raikova, Documents on the national liberation movement in Macedonia in the seventies of the 19th c.), review Istoricheski Pregled, Sofia, 1968, vol. I, pp. 128 129; the original is in Serbo-Croatian.
 
 
 
 
Seres. This town has really been contaminated by Greek mania. No one here dares say even a word about his real nationality. Alas! You Graecomanes, pure Bulgarians from Seres, you are trying in vain to pass as Greeks, something which even oxen do not do. Repent, you brothers, this road is a blind alley, come to your senses again, put your right hands on your hearts and ask yourselves: 'What are we, who were our fathers and what was the milk we sucked, what were the songs that our mothers sang to us in our cradles, and the golden words of comfort with which they soothed us?’

How dare you, gentlemen, forsake your fathers' names, despise your mothers' milk, and will you not feel them weighing like a heavy burden on your hearts, even after you have forsworn them?

There is nothing in the world more despicable than a self-deceiving man. Don't deceive yourselves and don't hinder your brothers - the peasants, who with great eagerness and deep feeling of reverence are willing to listen to the words of God in their own mother tongue. Look, they have already started opening schools, where they are taught mostly in Bulgarian.

Here in the district of Seres there are already more than 20 villages which have purged their schools and churches of the pernicious Greek language. The principal village of Brode (Vroundia) in this district, consisting of 630 houses and situated at 6 hours' walk to the north of the town, has omitted the name of the Greek bishop and now they mention the name of the Bulgarian Synod. A notable from that village, Mr G. Hadji Dimo¹, is in Seres today where they are trying him for some petitions against the Greek bishop. The cunning bishop and his supporters here are trying to induce the peasants not to join their brothers and not to introduce the Bulgarian language into their schools and churches by deceiving them into believing that all who do these things will be compelled later to pay 30 million grosh - the debt of the Bulgarian represen­tatives to the church for the last 12 years. Some of the poor peasants are willing to introduce the Bulgarian language, but they are at a loss what to do and are afraid that what the agents of the bishop say may be true.

What about Melnik? The village of Levovo there, together with 9 other villages, insist that their own language be introduced. They started collecting signatures and appointed one of the notables of Levovo - Mr. Theodore - as their representative to go either to Seres or to Salonica to ask for permission from the officials for the establishment of Bulgarian schools in their villages When the Bishop of Melnik was informed about that, he denounced them to the local Turkish authorities as rebels. The Turkish Governor considered it his duty to send for Theodore and investigate the case, but, while the zaptiehs were bringing him to Seres, the bishop managed to arrange things in such a way that the poor slandered man was immediately imprisoned without any hearing or sentence, and 24 hours later he was sent under guard to Seres, where he is still in prison. But note, that he was brought to Seres on foot and they did not allow him to take any clothes. When he was first brought to Melnik, the Governor told him that, had he known beforehand about the collection of signatures, he would have gone and shot him on the spot. In Nevrokop the Governor com­pelled the Bulgarians to appoint their representatives for the Synod of the Patriarchate, as we were told by the representative from this town who had come here this morning to complain to the officials.

The Governor of Seres released Theodore from Levovo but, as we have heard, he did not rebuke either the Governor of Melnik or the bishop for their illegal proceedings.

 
В. „Македония", Цариград (Newspaper Makedonia), Constantinople,  No.   34,    March 17th,   1870;  the original is in Bulgarian
 

¹ Father of the eminent Communist Dimo Hadjidimov
 
 
 
 

We have received a report from Voden about the publication of the following document concerning the establishment of a Bulgarian commune in this town:

Record of proceedings at the session of the commune and the church wardens confirming the unanimity of our population.

We, the undersigned citizens of Voden, of the Eastern Orthodox faith, of Bulgarian origin, and loyal subjects of His Imperial Majesty Sultan Abdul Aziz, our benevolent father and Lord, who had lately bestowed on us his most magnanimous and long-awaited royal mercy, for which we are profoundly grateful, and we pray to God for the prosperity and long life of his kingdom, we, unanimously and in concord, relying on the royal firman and the laws of our country, duly and legally appointed the members of our people's commune and our church warden whom we authorized with the seal of the commune to work and act on our behalf and to represent us whenever necessary before the honourable Government and to be our mouthpiece. The members have three obligations:

1) As pure Bulgarians, we do not recognize the Greek Patriarchate and its bishops and authorize them to bring us a bishop from our national Bulgarian Church.

2) In our schools we want our native Bulgarian language to be the prin­cipal one in the education of our children, then Turkish, and, after it, any other language if there be time, desire and need.

3) In our churches we want to hear the services and the word of God in our own language, like our brother Bulgarians throughout the Empire. For this reason, we authorize our church commune to work out a Statute and a list of regulations as basis for its activities, according to the existing laws of the Government, and that this commune represent our citizens everywhere and keep a regular record of all its proceedings in a special record-book, duly signed and sealed, while the decisions of the board will be accepted by us as valid for everybody. Also:

We bind ourselves by our own free will to assist and support them by word, deed and a helping hand, whenever it is necessary, and all the above-mentioned points we confirm by our own signatures.

 
В. „Македония", Цариград (Newspaper Makedonia), Constantinople, No. 54, May 30th, 1870; the original is in Bulgarian
 
 
 
 
We received via Mr. Georgi Toshev, your highly respected paternal letter of May 3, and, having carefully read and understood its contents, we were in­describably comforted. Our failure to answer your previous letters was due to the fact that there was as yet no concord among us, something, from which we have been cured.

As for Mr. G. Toshev's work, he himself will inform you, that we, like him, would like to have you here; as for Mr. Georgi Chyangov, he is in Port Said in Egypt, and his mother went to fetch him, but we do not know for sure when he would be back. We have not at all forgotten your melifluous conversation with us held the year before last, and have even been diligently spreading it, and it has so much strengthened and struck deep root, that all over the diocese the idea is greatly thriving, and it itself is the source of our national feeling and con­sciousness: we give thousands upon thousands of grateful prayers to the Lord above, who has distinguished us with a priest of our own people as worthy as you, who have been selflessly roaming becoming a willing victim to the development of your deeply sleeping homeland, which, however, is now in a perfect position to recognize and appreciate its benefactor; it only is sorry that it looks at him from afar! Holy father, the hour has struck! All obstacles have been eliminated! We uprooted Nikodim and did everything possible so that the new bishop would not receive a mandate and await the hour when we would chase him away... There is nothing to fear! Enough foreign oppression! Come and get some rest from your hard labours in our wide open hearts; yes, Father, wide open hearts, and there is no pen capable of describing our ardent desire to have you here. Fulfil this desire of ours! As we brought in a capable teacher in Slav-Bulgarian, Greek, Turkish and French, almost the whole town, with the exception of a few people who are still deluded and who mourn and bewail waning Hellenism, came and embraced their natural and literary mother tongue; and after we had written down the houses in the chronicle, we elected and organized a commune and inspectors, whom, by