First, apologies as this may not be all that I intended. I’ve been up and down all night dealing with various things that have popped up locally and otherwise. The intensity of the day did not go down with the sun. Smile. One of those issues is that the person who was to introduce me to the priests at a particular church is not going to be able to do so, and we had to work out how to get it done remotely around one this morning. Most of the other has been minor, but my phone kept going off all night. My thoughts on spam calls and texts is also at an all-time low.
As noted, Friday was the first full day of the pilgrimage. I had breakfast at a place I had wanted to try and came highly recommended. The time I had for it opening was off, but that worked out as I wandered around a bit and did some more exploring while waiting. More on this in a separate post, as I fully expect to eat there multiple times and want to do it justice. I will note that the young lady who was my waitress rather cheerfully worked with me on some basic Bulgarian, which is very much needed.
One thing to note: many, if not most, people here speak some English. Thank goodness. Being able to say hello, please, thank you and such only gets you so far. So far, every time I’ve needed that more, someone was there who could help with translation.
After breakfast, I made a quick stop back at the apartment then headed back up to the Patriarchal Cathedral. It was a beautiful morning for a walk, with the weather cool by local standards but felt good to me. Thank goodness a lot of the things important to me are located fairly close together, as I am starting to truly be able to find my way around on foot. Still need to explore the metro more, and really want to figure out the trams as they seem like a great way to get around.
Now, I’m not going to share any photos here — at least for now — of the interior of the cathedral. The signs all pointedly say no photography, which is the first thing every one does once they go in. And, yes, I did take some photos which I have shared with some of the members of my church as they can’t be here with me. Sharing such helps them share a bit of the experience, as well as sharing elements of faith and formation. However, I made the decision I did at the time I went in and see no reason to change it now.
Traveling here to the “headquarters” church is not something everyone can do or will be able to do. Sharing parts of my journey with them is, therefore, important and proper. Aside from a couple of more generic shots, most of what I did get didn’t feel right to post in public for now. I suspect that if you want to see the interior you can find those shots. For me, for now, I chose not to do so.
Now, I also suspect (strongly) that part of the no photo rule has to do with behavior, and particularly with inappropriate behavior on the part of some tourists. It wasn’t just the busloads of oriental tourists that were jamming things up stopping to take photos, or blocking those who were trying to worship. In fact, it was fairly easy to spot who was Orthodox and who wasn’t by such behavior. Sad to say, there were a few (and there always are)…
I also suspect money is a factor. A number of other historic churches and other sites say no photography — unless you pay a fee. Makes sense since historic buildings cost a fair bit to restore and maintain. A fee helps with that and since so far none have been onerous, I cheerfully pay when such is offered.
As for arguments that photography should not be allowed in any sacred space, the old me has a short one word answer that fits but is not diplomatic or polite. Instead, allow me to present the argument that photography and video can and do play an important role in the sharing and formation of faith. In this time, video rules and photography is a distant second, while the written word is effectively out-of-sight. This blog, for example, is an anachronism in the age of viral videos, influencers, and other ‘delights.’
Yet, by sharing words, photos, and (hopefully) even some video I can increase the ‘reach’ of what I am doing. That can then spark interest, answer questions, and more importantly generate good questions that can cause a person to explore within themselves matters of faith, Faith, and belief. It provides a window to a different world, a different way of thinking compared to that currently extant in the world. It can allow you, dear reader, to share a bit of what I am experiencing, including the joy and Grace attendant.
Enough of the introspection and controversy, as it distracts from the mission I just outlined.
I spent some time in the cathedral in contemplation and prayer. Some of those prayers were for people I know who are ill, facing issues, and have other needs. Some were for me to be guided on this journey and the larger journey underway. When finished, I left the cathedral and walked over to the entrance to go down into the crypt beneath the cathedral.
Today, it is not a crypt but a museum of Christian, specifically Orthodox, art and is part of the national art museum. It features Orthodox icons and other artwork (and even a few artifacts) from Bulgaria’s past. It is nothing short of amazing, and for anyone of Faith a powerful and moving experience. It really deserves it’s own post as I can’t do it justice in the short time I have left to get this post done. If I don’t get back to it this next week, remind me and I will do so.
I will just say for now that I literally don’t know how long I was in there, as time really ceased to have meaning. There were several icons that truly moved me and I will discuss at least two of them (Dormition of the Theotokos, and Saint Michael the Archangel) more fully later. Thankfully one of them had a bench in front of it as I kept going back and sitting in front of it in prayer and contemplation. The other did not, though such did not keep me from doing the same thing. In all seriousness, plan on at least an hour in there and you might want to budget as much as three hours.
From there, I went to the Basilica of Saint Sophia (Sofia). In some ways, it is the oldest church in Sofia. The original church was built in the 200s when this was the Roman city of Serdika, on the site of the necropolis (city of the dead, aka the cemetery). That first church was replaced by a second, and then later a third and the interesting thing is you can see some of the remains of each in the archeological excavations underneath the church.
I will have to post more on this later, as other things have kept me distracted and unable to finish this post as intended. I have another full day today, and need to get my head wrapped around it and not focused on those other issues. More soon.
If you would like to help me with this trip, seminary courses, and more, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo, use the options in the Tip Jar in the upper right, or drop me a line to discuss other methods. I’ve added Cash App ($CliffPow7) and Venmo (@Clifford-Powers-5). There is also the Amazon Wish List in the Bard’s Jar. Getting hit by lightning is not fun! It is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.