BAS President Calls Establishment of Bulgarian Literary Society Most Significant Spiritual Contribution to Bulgarian Revival

Momchil Rusev, BTA correspondent Andrey Kyuchukov

BAS President and full member Julian Revalski (right) in Braila, Romania on September 18 (BTA Photo/Biser Todorov)

Braila, Romania,

18.09.2024 16:56

(BTA)

The Bulgarian Literary Society, which later turned into the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS), was undoubtedly the most significant contribution to the Bulgarian Revival in the spiritual sphere, BAS President and full member Julian Revalski said Wednesday at the site in Braila, Romania where the Academy was founded in 1869 and where later the Church of the Ascension was built.

He recalled that the establishment of the Bulgarian Literary Society was the fruit of almost 20 years of activity of a number of Bulgarian enlighteners. Revalski noted that the "engines" of this process were historian and philologist Marin Drinov, philologist Vasil Stoyanov and clergyman, writer and politician Vasil Drumev.

"The enthusiasm of these enlightened Bulgarians alone was not enough to establish the Society. Two other things were needed. One was the place and the other was who would materially support it. The Romanian land was the place that served for the establishment of the Bulgarian Literary Society. The people who materially helped its creation were Bulgarians who lived here, on your land, and you welcomed them in your homes," said Revalski.

He expressed hope that Bulgarians and Romanians will continue to come to this place around October 12 to see "this Orthodox temple, which in a harmonious way connects Orthodox religion and science."

At the Church of the Ascension, Archbishop Casian of Lower Danube and the representative of the Bulgarian Patriarchate in Bucharest, Archpriest Kiril Sinev, led a prayer service and wreaths were laid at the memorial plaque. The events are part of the observances of the 155th anniversary of BAS

Among those present were representatives of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Bulgaria's Ambassador in Bucharest Radko Vlaykov, Bulgarian News Agency Director General Kiril Valchev, representatives of the Hristo Botev Association of Bulgarians in Braila, the local municipality and the Romanian Academy, with which the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences signed a new cooperation agreement yesterday in Bucharest.

The event was attended by representatives of BAS, Bulgaria's Ambassador in Bucharest Radko Vlaykov, Bulgarian News Agency Director General Kiril Valchev, representatives of the Hristo Botev Association of Bulgarians in Braila, the local municipality and the Romanian Academy, with which BAS signed a new cooperation agreement in Bucharest on Tuesday.

/DD/