The Meet It Is Orthodox Christian chant was for the first time sung in front of the image of Virgin Mary in the 10th century. On one of her major feasts, the Annunciation, the anthem dedicated to the Holy Virgin was performed at the National Museum of Ecclesiastical History.

This took place on the occasion of the presentation of a new film project about the birth, stamina and faith of a nation. It is named Meet It Is (Dostoino est). Its authors have been supported by the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church and by His Holiness Patriarch Neophyte and also by ministries, local government, tourist organizations and the public media outlets, notably the Bulgarian National Radio, the Bulgarian National Television and the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA)

The film will consist of three parts 40 min. each, tracing the millennial history of Christianity in what is today Bulgaria. Its ambition is to revive Bulgaria's history of spirit and pass it down to younger generations and to demonstrate the potential of pilgrimage tourism in sites where tangible and intangible samples of the Bulgarian Christian heritage are found.

From this trilogy we shall learn about Christian faith in present-day Bulgarian lands long before the official establishment of the Church in 870. The first part of the film, About Birth explores the first apostolic churches created in our lands as early as the 1st c AD. More from Associate Prof. Pavel Pavlov, author and consultant of the film:

“We want to show what early Christianity was about. It was marginalized by earlier Bulgarian historiography, and especially during communism. The period prior to the reign of St. Tsar Boris I was featured as predominantly pagan. Now we bring the story of the early founding of local churches in what is Bulgaria today back at the time of apostles - along the Black Sea coast, in the Aegean, in Serdica (Sofia) and Philippopolis (Plovdiv). The project had a different screenplay but I joined in on the condition that we would be able to explore this early history - the very first century of Christian faith; to present the apostles and show that Bulgarian lands were apostolic lands. Apostle Andrew preached Christianity along the Black Sea and St. Paul, in the Aegean. I accentuate the fact that in the three regions where Bulgaria later emerged - Moesia, Thrace and Macedonia - apostolic preaching was available in the 1 c. AD. Later on, their disciples and followers created a local network of churches in big cities - Serdica, Philippopoilis and Marcianopolis. Later in 2 c. AD we have clear evidence in sources about local churches with a bishop in Debelt and other towns. There is enough written evidence: we know the places that apostles visited. It is important to draw up a map showing their routes. One major hindrance is access to these places - there are no roads leading to them, and paths are overgrown. We want the film to have an enlightenment impact - especially for young people”.

The films will be translated into several languages and events, images and sites of spiritual history are recreated with the tools of latest technology - multi-channel sound, air and underwater shooting, special effects and music by young composer Georgi Strezov. For the first time the wealth of Bulgarian church history will be presented in this way.

English Daniela Konstantinova