The Charity in Maslarevo Village, Veliko Tarnovo Region in the Past and Its Revival Today
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Trakia Journal of Sciences, No 4, pp 379-388, 2014 Copyright © 2014 Trakia University Available online at: http://www.uni-sz.bg ISSN 1313-7069 (print) doi:10.15547/tjs.2014.04.008 ISSN 1313-3551 (online) Original Contribution THE CHARITY IN MASLAREVO VILLAGE, VELIKO TARNOVO REGION IN THE PAST AND ITS REVIVAL TODAY Bl. Stoykova¹* S. Bozhanova² ¹Faculty of Economics, Trakia University, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria ²“Kiril i Metodii” Elementary School, village of Strahilovo, Veliko Tarnovo Region, Bulgaria ABSTRACT It is assumed that one of the main characteristics of civil society ranks tradition of philanthropy and voluntary initiatives. The article discusses the tradition of philanthropy and charity in the Bulgarian context based on its manifestations together a little village. The problem with dealing the study is related to some specific actions of individuals to the collective interest to enhance public relations. Clarified and attitudes of local people about their experiences of giving and sponsorship. The data of the individual components are based on primary sources and are based on a survey conducted. Key words: charity, sponsorship, the tradition of donating, Maslarevo, Veliko Tarnovo region INTRODUCTION aspects affecting one or other ethical and social It is widely accepted that the phenomenon of norms. This study follows the tradition of charity “philanthropy” is described through terms such events on the example of a small village, in as „benefaction,” „patronage,” „charity,” and which voluntary initiatives are well documented „sponsorship” as each of these forms contains from the Renaissance to the present day. Our separate versions of the act of providing goal was to find the connection between the resources. In its nuances, benefaction is related individual, its economic prosperity and its to individual donations or backing by an sensitivity towards social problems of the individual person or organisation in the field of community. art, culture or education. Patronage is a donation, in which the name of the supporting organisation THE PHENOMENON OF “CHARITY” is featured in the specific performance or event AND ITS HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT of the organisation that received the donation. The beginning of the popularisation of the work Charity is a gratuitous act of support, in which of charitable people was set in the year 1905 the resources are provided with expecting any when the Minister of Education, Prof. Ivan benefit in return. From the perspective of the Shishmanov Sava Velev gave the idea for the modern view, sponsorship is a kind of rewarding initiation of a “Golden book of donors towards support, a deal of sorts, which entails the public popular education.” The book was issued in advertising of the sponsor’s name over the 1907. Over the following years, studies in this course of its implementation. (1) field continued. Three tomes of this research Solidarity and acts of charity are the result of were published. According to the researchers, both sharing the established ethic norms in the these studies were useful, yet encompassed only community and a means of social integration. a small fraction of the donations, which were Such acts provoke researchers towards various primarily meant for fostering science and ____________________________ education. A special place was reserved for the *Correspondence to: Blaga Stoykova, Department founding and work of foundations and funds, of Regional Development, Faculty of Economics, which were active during the period from 1978 Trakia University, Stara Zagora 6000, Bulgaria, e- to 1951. (2) mail: [email protected] Trakia Journal of Sciences, Vol. 12, № 4, 2014 379 STOYKOVA BL., et al. In fact, from a historical perspective, charity has oversight over the activity of church donors. The existed since ancient times when archaic ritualistic privileges of the donor were quite societies maintained the belief that gifts, usually impressive, as they acquired the right to a place in the form of sacrifice would be returned to the of honour in the monastery house, the right to be donor through miraculous forces, in the form of mentioned during service at the church within protection by the deity (which has the power to their area of charity, the right to be buried inside regulate life within the society). This idea was the church, to have a representative portrait recreated in well-known solemn contractual among the murals, as well as a place of honour formulae – the Latin „do ut des” and the Sanskrit during processions. (4) “dadaml se, dehi me”. (3) During the age of Enlightenment, support and The tradition of donating is sustainable and charity were related to printing books and study functional within the Slavic world. The sources aids. Thus, gradually, thanks to the monetary indicate that, as far back as the pagan period, generosity of donors, was printed the first newly donations were made for personal events – in printed book in spoken language case of death or disease, for the purpose of “Kiriakodromion. Meaning: Nedelnik” (1806), healing and cleansing. Donations were most “Book of various teachings” (1824), “Bulgarian commonly done near water basins, forests, etc., folklore songs”(1861), etc. (5) and with time these cult sites were transformed into Christian holy places, usually related with After the Crimean war, Bulgarian enlighteners the name of a certain saint. The paganistic and and the Bulgarian emigrants in Odessa, Bolgrad, Christian models were strongly interconnected Chisinau, Galatz, Bucharest, Braila, Belgrade, during the middle ages. Even though Christian Wien, Istanbul and elsewhere were united morality did not oblige the faithful to make around the idea of creating a Bulgarian centre for donations, there was an unwritten rule that more literacy. The formation of the Bulgarian Literary generous donations would yield greater divine Organisation in Braila was related to the name of favour afterwards. (4) the renowned enlightener of the Revival era Vasil Dimitrov Stoyanov. The programme for The researchers point out that during the middle the implementation of this idea was outlined ages donation evolved in its concept and together with Marin Drinov. V. Stoyanov’s talks strategy, gradually acquiring a statehood aspect. about the goals and tasks of the literary Personal motivation was joined by the ambition organisation among the emigrants in Romania to affirm the state’s authority and reinforce the and a number of Bulgarian towns attracted sovereign’s position by popularising their name supporters among the Bulgarian merchants and among the subjects. Invoking the scriptures, the entrepreneurs, who provided the funds for its idea that the ruler was chosen and set in their creation and maintenance. The first donors were place by God himself was imposed, along with named “supporting members” of the BLO, and the notion that their power is sacred in nature, the size of their contribution divided them into which entails their obligation to act as a guardian “custodial” and “meritorious.” (6) and custodian of the Church. Thus rulers became the primary donors of the middle ages.(4) After the Liberation, Prince Ferdinand initiated in 1895 a country-wide signature gathering and Gradually, as a result of the formalisation of the issued a rescript for the collection of funds for Christian religion, one specific form of donation the composing of the first Bulgarian was imposed, known under the name of “church encyclopedia. The collected funds were planned charity,” which was related to the construction, to be invested into issuing a series of books on ownership and support of a specific church or geography, demographics, flora and fauna, monastery. The normative regulation of church culture, etc., for the “complete description of the charity rights could be found in numerous Bulgarian people and land.” A committee was documents of Christian legislature, such as the formed at the Ministry of Popular Education, Nomocanon, The Basilicies, etc. Among the which would gather the resources and assign the domestic source, a notable one is the preserved writing of the works from the encyclopedic royal certificates of merit, such as the series, which was called “Bulgarian fatherland.” Votopedska, Virginska, Zografska, Mrachka, (6) etc., as well as the preserved notes and mementos. It is interesting to note that the Numerous monetary funds were created during canons of the Universal Councils regulated the this period, among which one of the first was the 380 Trakia Journal of Sciences, Vol. 12, № 4, 2014 STOYKOVA BL., et al. one founded by Hristo G. Danov (1906). One of the XXI century, charity in Bulgaria marked a the largest funds was “Dobri Ganchev,” which positive development. Donations support social was founded in 1936 and was formed from institutions, vulnerable social groups, etc. donations of shares and obligations. It is also Today’s primary mechanisms of charity are: interesting to note that in 1937, the “Golden corporate social responsibility, amounts given by Book of Donors” issued by the MPE listed about donors, payroll donations, as well as SMS 45 charitable funds, and in 1951 there were campaigns through text messaging. about 60 of them and they counted among the most significant donations and funds of the Sofia An interesting trend of charity in Bulgaria is that, University, the Holy Synod and the unified funds for the most part, it is done quietly, without “Testators and donors” at the MPE. (6) public announcement in the media. Some authors see the reason for this in the deep-rooted In 1944, according to K. Velichkova (Executive understanding that one should not boast with Director of the Bulgarian Charitable Forum), the donations. (10) total number of foundations, associations or organisations with so-called “eternal capital” HISTORY OF CHARITY IN THE reached about 900, with the capital being VILLAGE OF MASLAREVO, VELIKO appropriated by the state in 1951. (7) In a series TARNOVO REGION of ordinances and laws passed during the period The building of a church with the aid of the 1948-1949 – the Budget and budgetary entire population of a settlement is a sign of accountancy act, the Budget of the PRB for 1948 spiritual revival.