Bulgaria Sofia Mission

A Short History of the Bulgaria Sofia Mission

The history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Bulgaria is as interesting as the history of Bulgaria itself. Christianity and the belief in Jesus Christ are two things that many Bulgarians hold dear. Bulgarians are, by tradition, Orthodox (Pravoslav) Christians. The missionary brothers Saints Cyril and Methodius introduced Christianity to Bulgaria. The Medieval king, Boris I, was baptized on Christmas Day 863 AD, and soon thereafter proclaimed Christianity to be the official religion of all Bulgarians.

In modern times, Christianity and belief in Jesus Christ has continued to grow among Bulgarians. The first modern day missionary to work among the Bulgarian people was undertaken by a man by the name of Mischa Markow. Elder Markow was born in 1854 in Hungary. He was raised in the Serbian Orthodox Church and said of himself, "I was very much religious inclined." On a journey to the Holy Land Elder Markow, met and was baptized in the Black Sea on February 1, 1887, by Jacob Spori, president of the Latter-day Saint Turkish Mission. In 1899, after having immigrated to Salt Lake City and being married in the Salt Lake Temple, Elder Markow was called on a mission to Europe.

Elder Markow, along with his newly baptized Bulgarian companion, Agir Dimtrov, began preaching the Gospel in towns and villages in Romania, Hungary, and Serbia. After meeting with much persecution and limited success the companionship moved on to Bulgaria. While in Bulgaria the pair received permission from several ministers from newly organized Protestant ministries to address their congregations. These meetings were soon met with opposition by other ministers. Despite his popularity and appeals to sympathetic judges, Elder Markow was banished from Bulgaria.

Missionary efforts in Bulgaria were allowed to resume in 1990 as the world watched the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of Communism. In September 1990, Elder and Sister Delbert and Marilyn Mower were called to teach English in the town of Pravetz, Elder and Sister Morris and Annetta Mower were called to teach English in Sofia. Sister Judy Grubler and Sister Rose Marie Daigle arrived in the southern city of Smolyan to teach English, as well. In November of that same year the first Elders were called from missions in Serbia and Germany to begin preaching the gospel to the Bulgarians.

The Bulgaria Sofia Mission was created from the Austria Vienna East mission on July 1, 1991. The first President of the mission was President Kiril P. Kiryakov, a native Bulgarian, who had escaped to the West many years before. In the early days of the mission, the missionaries, not only were faced with learning the Bulgarian language, but living in a nation undergoing great change. During this time the Bulgarians were being given their first taste of the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ, and were faced with transitioning their country from a state dominated by Communist oppression, to a state of democracy and economic freedom.

Due to illness, President and Sister Kiryakov, were forced to return to the United States. President and Sister Warner, were called to serve in their place. During the next few years, the mission grew, as did the membership of the Church. Eight branches of the Church were established in Sofia, the capitol city, one branch was established in Plovdiv, the second largest city, and in Smolyan, in the south. In addition to this, in 1993 Seminary was established for the youth and the young adult members of the Church. Humanitarian and medical aid missions were also begun during 1993. Doctors and other professionals working through the Church Humanitarian Service volunteered their services and time to educate Bulgarian medical and healthcare professionals.

In July of 1994 President Edward G. Partridge, of Peoria Illinois was called to serve as the President of the Bulgaria Sofia Mission. It was during this time that opposition to the Church and the missionaries reached its peak. Missionaries were persecuted on a daily basis. Some were the unfortunate victims of physical attacks and unfair treatment by the Police, and regular citizens. The mission home was also under attack. On a daily basis, rocks were thrown at the windows of the Mission Home by neighborhood children, and passers by. This harsh treatment did not however sway the missionaries from preaching the Gospel and serving the people of Bulgaria.

As time went on, the violence toward the missionaries and the persecution of the Church waned, and positive relationships with important Bulgarian government officials were formed. From time to time the missionaries still continued to have administrative troubles with government officials, but overall conditions were good. In May 1996, the coastal cities of Varna and Burgas were opened for the preaching of the Gospel. This brought the number of cities open to four, Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna and Burgas. Although the missionaries were still working with an incomplete translation of the Book of Mormon, the work continued to progress.

In 1997, President Gary R. Stephens, of Utah, was called to serve as the President of the mission. Under the leadership of President Stephens the church experienced amazing growth, and missionaries were working in most of the major cities. Relations with the Bulgarian government improved significantly. The Church was also cast in a more positive light by the press and the media. In fact, President Stevens was interviewed and the Church was profiled by several leading national newspapers.

Perhaps the most significant event to occur under the leadership of President Stephens was the completion of the translation of the Book of Mormon. The full translation was issued in March 1999, as an answer to the prayers of members, missionaries and former missionaries a like. In addition to this, land was purchased, and plans were made for construction of meeting house in Plovdiv and a new mission office in Sofia.

The year 2000, was an important year for the Bulgaria Sofia Mission. In April, a special conference was held, wherein the Plovdiv district was organized. This brought the number of districts in Bulgaria to two.* In June, Elder Didier of the Seventy, came to Bulgaria; his visit was two fold. On June 17, 2000, ground was broken for the Plovdiv Chapel, and the following day, the new Mission Office/Meetinghouse campus was dedicated. The new Mission Office, which had formerly been the Cuban Embassy, was renovated and furnished by Bulgarians. These two events were of great significance to the Bulgarians. They represented the Church's presence and its commitment to the Bulgarian people. It was also blessing for the members as well, for they would now have a clean, modern and beautiful place to meet and worship freely.

As these events happened, the reigns of leadership of the mission once again passed. In July 2000, President David Galbraith, of Utah was called to serve as President of the Mission. President Galbraith, announced in September 2000, that the missions of Europe and the Areas in which they were grouped would be realigned. Bulgaria would now be part of the Europe East Area, headquartered in Moscow, Russia. At this time it was also announced that Serbia, Macedonia and Turkey would now fall under the jurisdiction of the Bulgaria Sofia Mission. When this announcement was made, there were three branches in Serbia, and four in Turkey. The Book of Mormon was also being translated into Serbian and preparations were being made for the publication of The Book of Mormon in Turkish.

By February 2001, construction on the chapel in Plovdiv was complete. The dedication took place on the 18th, with Elder Holland of the Twelve Apostles presiding. Again, the dedication of this building was important to the members of Plovdiv as well as the city of Plovdiv itself. The completion of this building was a testament to the patience of the members of Plovdiv, an acceptance by the government of the city of the Church, and it represented the growth of the Church in this part of the country.

Today there are branches of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Sofia, Plovdiv, Pazardzjik, Stara Zagora, Plevin, Ruse, Sliven, Burgas, Varna, Shumen, Veliko Turnovo, Haskovo, Yambol and Blagoevgrad. The mission contunies to grow and the members continue to strengthen each other. The programs of the Church, such as Primary, Young Men/Women and Seminary, while still new continue to grow and flourish. The current membership of the Church is over 2,000 members. In 2003, the Bulgarian Triple Combination (Book of Mormon, Doctrine & Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price) was released.

The Prophet Alma said, "as the seed swelleth and beginneth to grow, then ye must needs say that the seed is good; for behold it swelleth and sprouteth and beginneth to grow" (Alma 32:30). The seeds of the Gospel, long dormant in Bulgaria, have begun to swell and grow anew. New gospel seeds that are being planted, by dedicated missionaries and members, are realizing the fullness of the joy that the Gospel of Jesus Christ brings. As the Church continues to grow in Bulgaria, the Bulgarian people will be blessed further by a loving Father in Heaven.

Written by Joyce Brinton-Anderson.

References:

For more information, see also the LDS Country Profile for Bulgaria.