Grandpa Dobri, A Benefactor Beggar

His name was Dobri Dimitrov Dobrev, but everyone knew him as Grandfather Dobri and he became quite a character in Bulgaria, although he also transcended borders. Many also dubbed him “the saint of Baylovo,” for his poignant generosity. Although he was a beggar, he became an example of nobility to everyone.

Grandfather Dobri was born in Baylovo (Bulgaria), on July 20, 1914 and died on February 13, 2018, with 103 years over. Very little is known about his life, because, like all great human beings, he became known more for his works than for the details of his biography.

What made this man famous was the custom he adopted and maintained for the last 18 years of his life. Every day he walked more than 10 kilometers, from his hometown Baylovo to Sofia.

There he begged, but then he donated everything he got to churches or charities. Day after day he did the same, despite his advanced age.

Grandpa Dobri, an enigmatic character

In reality, not much is known about Grandpa Dobri’s life. It is said that perhaps all the people who lived in Sofia for the past 20 years crossed paths with him at some point. For many of them the figure of this old man in rags went unnoticed ; others, on the other hand, knew his history and considered him a saint.

There were people for whom it was a ritual to  bring the children so that the old man kissed their hand. They saw him as a person endowed with an angelic halo that was contagious. In fact, as soon as he died, many of those who knew him asked for his canonization. They consider it an example of faith and love.

Dobri walked the streets of Sofia and begged for a coin to all who crossed in front of him. Then he donated the money, mainly to the churches. It is believed that in total he may have collected and donated around 40,000 euros during the time his pilgrimage lasted.

When Grandpa Dobri was asked why he did this, he replied that in the past he  had done something wrong and had imposed himself as a penalty to carry out that hard daily task, to obtain God’s forgiveness. He was not a beggar his entire life as he began his mission in 2000.

Where did this character come from?

Grandpa Dobri became famous on social media and in the media when his work was discovered. Through various interviews, some episodes of his life were known. However, many others remain in the dark.

It is only known that his father was named Dimitri and that he died during the First World War, which is why he was raised by his mother, Katerina. Grandpa Dobri was apparently enlisted in the military during WWII. In the course of that confrontation, a bomb fell close to where he was and took practically all of his hearing.

It is said that he married and had four daughters, two of whom died young. Everything else is a mystery. It is only known that in 2000 he donated all his assets to the church and to charities. Later, he began to beg just to donate everything that was given to him.

A whole character

Grandfather Dobri lived in the sacristy of a church in great poverty. He barely had any furniture and received a subsidy from the state that allowed him to eat. He slept on a board that had this inscription: “ One must not steal, lie, commit adultery. We must love others as God loves us ”.

Those who came across him received a smile and a kind word. They say that he was of a docile character and that every conversation with him inevitably led to God. If someone didn’t want to listen to him, they didn’t bother about it either. They made a documentary about his life called Silent Angel.

Likewise, a famous Bulgarian graffiti artist named Nasimo made a huge mural dedicated to this man that is still on display in a tall building in Sofia. His death was mourned by the whole country, but many think that he is still present thanks to that indelible mark he left on those who benefited from his goodness.