„In Bulgaria the church has many centuries of history and the Bulgarian nation was baptized and adopted Orthodox Christianity first among Slavic peoples” – this is what the Metropolitan of Warsaw and the whole of Poland Sava wrote in a foreword to a photo album recently released in Poland and entitled “The colors of Orthodoxy. Bulgaria.” The publication is part in a series of six deluxe albums which is released at the initiative of the Polish Orthodox Church and features the diversity of Orthodox Christianity the world over. Ahead of the photographs from Bulgaria such albums have been devoted to the Orthodoxy in Poland, Russia, Serbia, Georgia and Romania.

Many of the photos in the album are by photographers singled out in a contest held last summer by the popular Polish website orthphoto.net and the Bulgarian online publication pravoslavie.bg with the mediator role of the Honorary Consul of Bulgaria in Poland, Witold Karczewski. “When we held the contest, we were surprised to find out how many photographers who are not specialized in religious themes have still turned to such topics with keen interest and efforts”, said Sandra Kerelezova, editor at pravoslavie.bg.

“More than 30 Bulgarian artists with nearly 150 photos, revealing the beauty of Orthodox spirituality in Bulgaria, are presented in the album. It is rewarding for us to present not only the static architecture of Orthodoxy - churches and monasteries, but to show it as a living faith, joy and love that it brings to people. In these pictures we can see present-day young people who share their faith with their parents and relatives. The album features many young photographers – in their early twenties, who are still seeking to establish themselves in the profession. Among them are Denislav Stoychev, who is also active in another project - "The face of mercy" and Ivan Shishiev, known for his initiative "Etudes of Sofia". Ivo Hadjimishev, one of the foremost names in Bulgarian photography, is also presented. The winner in the photo competition is Vesselina Velcheva who can capture the genuine joy and spirit of Orthodox Christians. She received the Grand Prix for her work “Resurrection” – she has taken a close-up of Priest Sava Kukudev with the people of his parish during Easter service. The photographer has conveyed the spiritual light that has lit up the faces of the community. For a cover photo, our Polish colleagues have chosen a picture by Stefka Borisova who has the largest numbers of works in the album – about 50. It is important that this album would be interesting not only for a foreigner whose acquaintance with our culture only begins, but also for us. It is particularly valuable to an unbelieving, skeptical person who will discover the true face of Orthodoxy and the genuine joy of the faithful.”

Sandra Kerelezova has her favorite photos and an explanation where the beauty of Bulgarian Orthodoxy colors stems from:

“My favorite photograph in the album is from the Rila Wonder-Worker pilgrimage trail (from Sofia to Rila Monastery). It shows four clergymen taking a short break by the road. The picture has sealed their joy and good mood – the atmosphere is quite authentic. I also like the photo of Stefka Borisova, with two grandmothers a grandson in a church. The photo is fascinating with the smile and the shared joy of intergenerational communication. In most photographs, we notice how man is in harmony with nature and the spiritual world. There are many photos of frescoes taken in big Bulgarian churches. They suggest that the frescoes in Bulgaria are not created in bright, intrusive shades. As a counterpoint in the album we can see a lot of bright colors in nature – the Rila lakes, the spring and the people. Everyone has chosen their path in life, but the greatest asset of such an album is that it reflects our common, shared path in faith.”

English Daniela Konstantinova