|
Dometian - the Bishop (Metropolitan) of Vidin (1932) |
|
|
|
Written by ПМГ Видин
|
|
Thursday, 13 September 2007 |
He was born on 11th November 1932 in the village of Hasovica, near Smolian. In 1952 he graduated the ecclesiastical school in Plovdiv with excellence and after that he continued his education at the Theological Academy.
 His strong desire to work as a servant of God made him become a monk in Maglizh monastery on 14th January 1959. Then he was sent to specialize at Moscow Theological Academy. On 18th July 1962 the Russian Patriarch Alexii I and the Bulgarian Patriarch Kiril promoted Dometian in Hieromonk rank.
After receiving the scientific degree "Candidate of Theology" by Moscow theological academy, Dometian returned to Bulgaria and became a coadjutor of Veliko Turnovo's bishopric. On 4th December 1963 metropolitan Stefan proclaimed Dometian an archimandrite. In 1967 Patriarch Kiril sent him to the monastic community Teze (France) and to Bosei (Switzerland) to specialize. Archimandrite Dometian continued his specialization in Lozana, London and Oxford. When he came back to Bulgaria he was announced coadjutor of Sofia's bishopric. After that he was Secretary of The Holy Synod. A Bishop rank was given to Dometian with the title Znepolskii. He became the leader of the Archon's eparchy in USA. After returning to Bulgaria he was appointed Vicar of Sofia's Bishopric(Metropolitan). This happened on 1st April 1983.
Since 2nd August 1987 he has been the Bishop (Metropolitan) of Vidin. He is an active public figure. Thanks to his energetic efforts and personal prestige, substantial donations have been and are still being collected in the eparchy and outside its borders, which are used to restore and make steadier the monasteries in the eparchy, to build new churches and chapels, which have favourable influence on the religious consciousness of the Orthodox Christians from Vidin Eparchy and on those, who visit it.
There was no case of a civil or religious event within the borders of Vidin eparchy, when Dometian was invited and he didn't take part, if he was free of his numerous engamements. He visits the prisoners, inaugurates community centres, libraries and other cultural institutes, visits schools.
At his suggestion, St. Dimitar's Day was made the Feast Day of Vidin and St Dimitar was declared the patron of Vidin.
His was also the initiative to rename the local hospital in Vidin, giving it the name of St.Petka.
|
