Grandpa Dobri: The Holy Beggar

His name was Dobri Dimitrov Dobrev, but everyone knew him as Grandpa Dobri. He became a famous personality in Bulgaria and his fame spread to many other countries.

Many also gave him the nickname “The Saint of Bailovo” because of his amazing generosity. Although he was a beggar, he became an example of humility and integrity for the whole world.

Grandfather Dobri was born in Bailovo (Bulgaria) on July 20, 1914 and died on February 13, 2018 at the age of 103 years. Very little is known about him, for as with all mighty persons he became better known for his actions than his biographical details.

What made this man so famous were the habits he became accustomed to and maintained for the last 18 years of his life. Every day he walked more than 8 kilometers from his hometown, Bailovo, to Sofia.

There he would beg and then donate everything he received to churches and charities. Day after day, he did the same despite his age.

Grandfather Dobri – An enigmatic person

In fact, not much is known about Grandpa Dobris’ life. People say that maybe everyone who has lived in Sofia for the past twenty years has met him at some point. For many of them, the outline of this elderly man in rags went unnoticed. Others, however, knew his story and saw him as a saint.

Some people used to take children to this older man so he could kiss their hands. They saw him as a person enriched with a divine halo, and that his example was contagious. When he died, many of those who knew him actually asked to have him canonized. They saw him as a true example of faith and love.

Dobri walked the streets of Sofia begging everyone he met to get a coin. He would then donate the money, primarily to churches. People estimate that he collected and donated a total of almost 700,000 kroner in the time he walked around.

When Grandpa Dobri was asked why he did this, he replied that in the past he had done something wrong, which is why he made it his job to carry out this punishment every day, in order to try to get God’s forgiveness . He was not a beggar all his life. He began his mission in the year 2000.

Where did Grandpa Dobri come from?

Grandpa Dobri became known on social media and in the media when people discovered what he was doing. Through various interviews, we found out a few things about his life. Most, however, remained shrouded in mystery.

We only know that his father’s name was Dimtri and that he died during the First World War. He grew up with his mother, Katerina. Grandpa Dobri was apparently enlisted in the military during World War II. One day in the war, a bomb landed close to him, exploding and taking pretty much all of his hearing from him.

People say he married and had four daughters, two of whom died young. Everything else is a mystery. We only know that in the year 2000 he donated all his things to the church and to charity. It was at that time that he began to beg, only to donate everything he received.

Something of a personality

Grandfather Dobri lived in great poverty in a sacristy in a church. He barely had any furniture and received a subsidy from the state, which allowed him to eat. He slept on a bench with the engraving:  “You must not steal, you must not lie, and you must not deceive your countrymen. Love others as God loves us ”.

Those who met him received a smile and a kind word. They said that he had a mild personality and that  every conversation with him inevitably led to God. If a person did not want to listen to him, then he was not bothered at all. There was a documentary about his life that was titled Silent Angel.

In addition to this, a well-known Bulgarian graffiti artist named Nasimo made a giant mural dedicated to this man that can still be seen on a tall building in Sofia.

The whole country mourned after his death, but many still saw him as present among them because of the indelible mark he left on those who took advantage of his kindness.