In a world of worldly possessions, high offices, of flatterers who are the first to look away when the wheel has turned, we tend to forget the spirit. But there are shepherds among us with the mission of saving the lost souls and showing them that it is never too late to find the road, to do good work.

Protoiereus Seraphim Yanev sees his mission as a cleric in different causes in aid of then needy. He takes care of a dozen churches, and every summer opens the doors of the St. George the Victor monastery at Kremikovtsi, where he is abbot, to children. For his good work, Father Seraphim has been nominated Enlightener of the Year in the BNR’s national campaign. 

“The first enlightener is St. Yoan (John) of Rila, the patron saint of Bulgarians, who spreads his blessing among the people to this day” Father Seraphim says. “With the example they set enlighteners help us find our way to eternity, and this is the purpose of human life. My nomination is for the hundreds of people who are helping our common causes and aims at Kremikovtsi monastery, the people from the municipalities of Gorna Malina and Elin Pelin who are making a lot of effort to be of assistance all people.”

Grandpa Dobri was a latter-day enlightener, Protoiereus Seraphim says. We can still see him, in our mind’s eye, bowl in hand, begging for alms to give to the church.

“Grandpa Dobri had a mission, but not everyone comprehended it,” Father Seraphim Yanev says. “Many people would wonder why he didn’t donate the money to orphanages or nursing homes, to people in need of surgery, why he donated it for the restoration of churches and monasteries. But what he wanted to show was that salvation lies in the church, that it helps us become compassionate, so that God may be merciful of our sins.”

It is the eternal human values, as opposed to material assets, that Father Seraphim tries to teach to the children at the summer camps in Kremikovtsi monastery.

“Every camp has two main missions – the first is to help children understand that God is our friend and will always help us, if we turn to Him. And the second is that what kind of people we are going to be is in our own hands, how we will treat one another and how we will live together as a society. These are values that are worthwhile, values that will help us and our people.”

Paradoxical as it may sound, even the coronavirus pandemic which has cost the lives of millions around the world, can be regarded as a blessing, Protoiereus Seraphim Yanev believes. Because it turns our lives around, getting us out of a rut.

“We can see that even in countries with advanced medicine people are unable to tackle the pandemic,” he says. “We can also see presidents and politicians at the highest level turning to the church to pray for God’s help. And difficult as these times may be, I think it all serves a purpose, helping us tear ourselves away from materialism and taking care of ourselves.”

One day Father Seraphim saw a swarm of bees flying out of the old church. Since then he has devoted time to these creatures of God. “They make a lot of efforts so that every one of them will be well,” Father Seraphim says, and adds that a bee never complains, never whines. Maybe because it knows that for the whole hive to live through the winter, each one has to do its job.