100-Year-Old Bulgarian Beggar Gives Away Money He Collects

100-Year-Old Bulgarian Beggar Gives Away Money He Collects

by Brian Foden

Despite living in poverty, Dobri Dobrev begs for money to help others.

　　Although his tattered clothes fit the image of the typical beggar, Dobri Dobrev is far from being a stereotypical, down-on-his-luck panhandler. At 100, the Bulgarian is much older than most people begging for money on the streets in various cities around the world. However, there is something even more remarkable about this century-old man that sets him apart from others asking for money from strangers. Rather than keep the money he collects, Dobrev gives away every last dollar he receives to churches, monasteries, and orphanages. Over the decades that he has been begging for money, the Bulgarian has given the equivalent of roughly US$53,000 away. Nearly half that amount has gone to the Cathedral of Alexander Nevsky in Bulgaria's capital city, Sofia, the biggest donation the cathedral has ever received in its history. Some of his donations have helped restore and renovate other churches in Sofia and other parts of Bulgaria.

　　Dobrev lives on a pension of about US$100 per month, leading a frugal life of self-sacrifice. Born in July 1914 in the town of Bailovo, he later lost most of his hearing when a bomb landed not far from him during World War II. Devoutly religious, he used to make the 25-kilometer journey from Bailovo to Sofia on foot in order to beg for donations every day. Due to his advanced age, he is said to take the bus these days. In addition to giving bows and kissing the hands of the people who give him donations, he often preaches the Gospel to them. He has often been quoted as saying, "We must not lie, nor steal, nor commit adultery. We must love each other as God loves us." For his long-time efforts, he is also known as the Saint of Bailovo.

托钵圣人

尽管生活困顿，多布里亚‧多布雷夫仍为了帮助他人而行乞。

　　尽管多布里亚‧多布雷夫的衣衫褴褛符合典型的乞丐形象，但他绝不是刻板印象中那种不幸的乞丐。这位高龄一百岁的保加利亚人比大部份在世界各地不同城市街头行乞的人要年长许多。然而，关于这位百岁老翁还有一个更特别的地方，使他与那些向陌生人乞讨的人有所不同。多布雷夫没有将收来的钱留下来，而是把他所收到的钱一分不留地捐给教堂、修道院和孤儿院。这位保加利亚人过去几十年来一直都在行乞，他已经捐出大约相当于五万三千美元的金额。其中将近一半的金额都捐给了在保加利亚首都索菲亚的亚历山大涅夫斯基大教堂，而这是该教堂有史以来收到的最高额捐款。他的部份捐款也曾帮助重建与翻新在索菲亚及保加利亚其他地方的教堂。

　　多布雷夫以每个月大约一百美元的养老金维生，过着一种舍己为人的节俭生活。他在 1914 年七月出生于贝勒沃城镇，后来在第二次世界大战期间，一枚炸弹落在他附近不远处，他因此丧失了大部份的听觉。身为虔诚的教徒，他过去为了捐赠而行乞，每天都从贝勒沃步行二十五公里到索菲亚。由于年事已高，据说他近来都是搭乘公交车。除了对那些捐钱给他的人鞠躬和亲吻他们的手之外，他也时常对他们传福音。他有句常常被引述的名言：『我们不可说谎、不可偷窃、也不可奸淫。我们要互爱，就如同神爱我们一样。』由于他长久以来的努力，他也被称为贝勒沃圣人。