The restored church of the beautiful village of Negushevo opened doors right on its 130^th anniversary. Sveta Paraskeva is one of the four temples on the territory of Gorna Мalina municipality, fully restored and renovated, thanks to the EU Rural Development OP. EUR 215,000 have been granted for the repair works. A total of EUR 33 million were designed for Orthodox temples in Bulgaria over the programme period. The district of Sofia is among the most active ones, regarding this. The money is of really essential importance for the preservation of the historical and spiritual inheritance, especially for the small settlements. Funding for maintenance is more easily found in the cities, but the churches in depopulated villages are being left to oblivion and crumble down.

“This is another church in Gorna Malina that is being renovated and sanctified, but it is not the end,” says Father Seraphym from the Sofia Eparchy. “We expect the recent finishing of the renovation of village Sarantci’s church. Another bigger project will be ready in the spring – the one of the St. Ilia monastery in the village of Belopopintsi. We do have the will to renovate all the churches within the municipality. They are the home of God, a place, where one can find consolation, but also power. That is why it is right for those sacred places to have their true image restored.”

The Sveta Paraskeva Church was built in 1884 by Master Nikola German, famous here. It is a classic type nave church, the usual one for most of the surrounding villages. It was made of stones from the neighboring village. In the words of artist Mikhail Tanev, chair of the Church Board, the murals are “a wonderful version of late ecclesiastical painting from the end of the 19^th c.”

“Unfortunately a large part of the icons were stolen in the period 1970 – 2000. We had to restore those, thus bringing life back to the temple. This year we mark its 130^th anniversary. That is why the board members want to give it a chance to remain for at least another century. We hope and we believe that the role and place of faith is not lost and has its significance. Faith is the thing that will continue to preserve centuries-old cultural and moral values and people, coming here will remain faithful to traditions.”

People do come to the temple to share their fests and traditions. That is why the efforts for the maintenance and preservation are common, in order to what’s been done to be kept for the coming generations. Negushevo has also other plans. Whenever the weather gets warm, the laity plans to organize concerts with ecclesiastical music and exhibitions, devoted to faith and tradition. Locals feel happy that the village, known to Bulgarian directors as the Sofia Kovachevitsa has begun to restore its main spiritual centers. The authentic atmosphere preserved is the reason why dozens of Bulgarian movies have been shot here – Under the Yoke (Pod Igoto), Land (Zemya), The English Neighbour (Angliyskiiat Sased) and many others. We are about to find out whether the restored 130-year-old church will also turn into a décor for another Bulgarian movie.

English version: Zhivko Stanchev