400 YEARS SINCE THE PAVLICHIANS CONVERSION TO CATHOLICISM - 2023 - 1623
400 YEARS SINCE THE PAVLICHIANS CONVERSION TO CATHOLICISM - 2023 - 1623

Summary/Abstract: The aim of the article is to presents,” in memoria” after 400 years, the Pavlichiens conversion to catholiciem strategy, conducted by the Franciscan missionary Petar Solinat . Following a long-term strategy, for 25 years, Pettar Solinat strategy included two directions: strengthening Catholicism in the villages of northwestern Bulgaria: Ciprovec, Kopilovets, Zhelezna and Klisura, and converting Pavlicians to Catholicism. Referring the first century of Christianity, the analyse presents the region of the west coast of Greece and Macedonia known in the first centuries as an important center of early Christianity. Under the occupation of the Slavs and Bulgarians the importance of this religious center decreased, being reported the presence of Armenian communities, originating from Asia Minor, Anatolia, Ararat district of Transcaucasia. Grouped into distinct communities, the members of these communities are known as the Pavlichians or Paulicians and populate in Thrace, the ancient fortress of Philippopollis, the Plodive area and the Danube areas from Ncopole to Svistov. For over a millennium, the Pavlichians maintained a faith manifested through a dogmatic attachment to the Epistles of Paul and the Gospel of Luke, transmitted by voice by the initiated leaders of communities. Starting for the XIV th century AD, the Catholicism was present in the northwestern part of Bulgaria since 1330 when the colonization of the Transylvanian Saxons for the exploitation of mineral deposits in the Ciprovec area takes place. The first Cayholics Communitys are mentioned in the study, because, in 1595, the initiative to revive Catholicism in Bulgaria belonged to the inhabitants of Chiprovets. They sent a delegation to Bosniac Episcopy which jurisdiction Bulgaria was. Following this visit, the Catholics Bosniac Episcopate sent a delegation of Franciscan monks headed by the monk Petar Solinat, originally from the city of Tuzla. Having come to Bulgaria as a missionary, Petar Solinat conducted a strategy regarding for the future, which he continues for 25 years. His strategy included two directions: strengthening Catholicism in the villages of northwestern Bulgaria: Ciprovec, Kopilovets, Zhelezna and Klisura, and converting Pavlicians to Catholicism. Petar Solinat, concluded his strategy, after 25 years. The missions of Petar Solinat, was a great success in main villages from Ciprovec, Kopilovets, Zhelezna, Klisura, and other regions of Bulgaria, were, the conversion of Pavlicians to Catholicism was continued by the following Episcopes, supported by Pavlichian communities, from Plovdiv to Danube area.

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