Veselin Petkov, The Hague: In the Bulgarian Church, we are at home

Veselin Petkov has been part of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church community “St Paisii of Hilendar” in The Hague since 2013. When he arrived in the Netherlands, he learned from friends about the existence of the Bulgarian church “Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel” – the only Bulgarian church in the whole of the Netherlands, which, in his view, makes it very special.

Gradually, Veselin came to regard this church as his second home. He regularly attends the divine services, sings on the kliros, helps in whatever way he can within the parish community, and rejoices whenever he sees the church full: “because this church was created for the people – the service is for the sake of the people, in order to build a bridge to God and to lead people to Him.”

For Veselin and for his compatriots in the Netherlands, the Orthodox church in The Hague is also “a little piece of Bulgaria”: “Yes, here we feel as though we are on our own territory, on our own ground. Not only inside the church itself, but even around it, in the courtyard. Once we step out into the street, the feeling is not the same,” he says in an interview for Radio Bulgaria. He is among the participants in the specialised podcast “Bridge of Faith”, dedicated to the Bulgarian Orthodox Church community in the Netherlands.

We wait for him to compose himself and then ask what he and the other members of the community take with them from the church into their everyday lives, and how the life of the Church within the Bulgarian community helps them live with spiritual integrity while far from their homeland. His answer reveals a theological depth and spiritual wisdom characteristic of a committed Orthodox Christian:

“During the celebration of the holy service, in the course of the Liturgy, precisely when the Holy Spirit descends upon the Holy Gifts and transforms them, they are no longer prosphora and wine, but the Body and Blood of Christ. We feel the presence of the Holy Spirit, Who gives life to all things. We unite ourselves to this presence; it sanctifies us and gives us strength for the whole week. It takes away our pains, our sufferings and our anxieties, and gives us love. This is what we take with us at the end of the service — as spiritual strength until the next Sunday or the next service.”

“God’s presence is unique,” he says. “A person can truly feel it if they open their heart to God. We who serve here hope that those who come will feel this as well, and that each person will find peace here — a place where they can calmly reflect on their anxieties and receive from God the insight needed to move forward in faith and in life.”

Veselin Petkov fondly remembers the long-serving Father Yoan Manev, who passed away in August 2024. He recalls the many difficulties the church community faced, including letters from the municipality of The Hague setting deadlines for them to vacate the building so that it could be converted into residential property and the flats sold.

'Father Yoan was the one who defended the existence of this church. He was truly a worthy priest. He was a good man. He never hesitated to help others — he was always ready to help.”

He also speaks warmly and with gratitude about the current priest of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church community in the Netherlands, Father Nikolay Nikolov, who lives in Germany and travels hundreds of kilometres for every service.

“We feel that we are truly one, and that is very important in a church community — that there is good communication between the priest and the parishioners. This matters not only for how people in the parish feel, but also for drawing more people to the Lord. Ultimately, the mission of every priest is to bring people closer to God.”

Veselin hopes that the community will continue to grow stronger from within; that more people will come seeking consolation in God; and that its members will become ever more united as they grow together as a church community. He concludes with these words:

'We must be strong in the name of God. Everyone faces trials and difficulties in life. A church community cannot exist without challenges. Of course, there are difficult moments and disagreements, but what should guide a church community is this: each person must set aside their pride and think with God in both mind and heart. Pride is our greatest enemy. It is our deepest fall — the most grievous sin, for which the devil was cast out of Paradise. Pride and love cannot coexist in the same heart. Where there is pride, there is no love. A person must therefore strive to overcome pride, awaken love in the heart, and act with love — because without love, we cannot live.”

Editor: Elena Karkalanova

Posted in English by E. Radkova