site.btaNational Library Hosts Documentary Exhibition on "Catholics in Bulgaria XVII-XX Century"

A documentary exhibition titled "Catholics in Bulgaria XVII-XX Century", opened at the St Cyril and St Methodius National Library in Sofia on Wednesday. Timed in with the 350th anniversary of the demise of three remarkable Bulgarian Catholic bishops, the event, planned as a travelling exhibition, will be on until May 9, the organizers said.

Bulgarian Catholics' manuscript and documentary heritage is displayed in chronological order. 

"The exhibition marks 350 years since the death of three prominent Bulgarian Catholics: Peter Bogdan Bakshev, Philip Stanislavov and Peter Parchevich," the National Library Director, Assoc. Prof. Dr Krasimira Alexandrova, said at the official opening of the event.

"By their activities they contributed to the development of cultural processes in the 17th century, helped preserve Bulgarian national identity, and cultivated a circle of followers who continued their work in the following centuries. All persons covered in the exhibition shared an education that was exceptionally high by the standards of their time, which also gave direction to their activities," said Alexandrova. She pointed out that the individuals whose heritage is exhibited give Bulgarians access to the then modern European culture between the 17th and the 20th century.

The National Library Director said that Peter Bogdan wrote the first History of Bulgaria which was finished in 1667. That was the first study of the past of the Bulgarian people. "The Catholic clergyman of Bulgarian descent tapped the latest achievements of historical science in his age to produce a study of Bulgarian history in Latin and promote it among educated circles. The treatise predated by nearly a century Paisii of Hilandar's Slavonic-Bulgarian History, which was fundamental for the Bulgarian National Revival period. This lends Peter Bogdan's work exceptional importance for borth Bulgarian and European culture," Alexandrova noted.

"This extremely interesting exhibition of documents from the Bulgarian Catholics' literary heritage kept in the National Library holdings eloquently testifies to the personal and spiritual contribution of remarkable personalities and leaders of the Bulgarian people in historical, cultural and ecclesiastical terms," President Rumen Radev wrote in a congratulatory address, read by his Advisor on Cultural Affairs, Plamen Slavov.

"I am glad that this exhibition precedes the presentation in our country next month of Peter Bogdan Baksev's manuscript history of the Bulgarian people," the President further noted in his congratulatory address. The complete version of the Latin original was found as late as in 2021.

Besides the three bishops, the work of other missionaries and literary figures, including Iliya Marinov, Krustyu Peikic, Pavel Duvanliata and Petar Tsarsky is highlighted as well. The documents on display are in Italian, Latin, Bulgarian, and Ottoman Turkish.