"Obicham te, rodino!" - patriotic song by Elisaveta Bagryana and Lyubomir Pipkov

Every year, May 24 is an occasion for Bulgarians to celebrate and rejoice. The Day of the Holy Brothers Cyril and Methodius, of the Bulgarian Alphabet, Education and Culture and of the Slavonic Literature is the brightest, most Bulgarian holiday. Unlike most nations that solemnly celebrate political events or military victories, the Bulgarian people celebrate their unique contribution to world civilization. The alphabet became the basis for the centuries-old treasury of Bulgarian literature. The most notable creators, who preserved and developed the Bulgarian language and culture over the centuries are among the most revered figures in our history.

The name of Elisaveta Bagryana is emblematic for Bulgaria. She was not just an exceptional talented Bulgarian, but one of the leading world poets of the 20th century. The enormous impact of Bagryana’s work is due to her impressive culture, the scope of inspiration and the skilful command of the word. She also wrote children’s books, travelogues, feuilletons, critical articles and was a magnificent translator.

A woman with self-confidence and principles in life, a philosopher and innovator in creativity, Elisaveta Bagryana is the first Bulgarian poetess who left an eternal legacy in Bulgaria’s literary history. It is no coincidence that she was nominated for the Nobel Prize for Literature four times. Bagryana's multifaceted and generous talent would have been incomplete without her children's poems. She was already famous when she began writing for children and her interest in the genre was provoked by her own experience as a mother. Unfortunately, sad life circumstances separated her from her young son, with whom she was forbidden to communicate for years.

Bagryana's first children's poems were published in 1924 in the magazine "Detska radost" ("Children's Joy"). The credit goes to the editor of the magazine - Ran Bosilek, who persistently invited her to collaborate. From 1924 to the 1960s, Bagryana was a regular contributor to children's magazines and newspapers. Among her most inspired children's works is “Obicham te, rodino!” ("I Love You, Motherland!"), which starts her collection of poems “Detski dni shtastlivi” ("Happy Children's Days"), published in 1950 with drawings by famous artist Neva Tuzsuzova.

Published many times in the following decades, the poem attracted the attention of one of Bulgaria’s greatest classical composers - Lyubomir Pipkov, a brilliant musician, talented writer and poet, educator, publicist and public figure. It is no coincidence that he is the son of Panayot Pipkov - the composer who created two of the most important songs for Bulgarians: the festive hymn-praise of the holy brothers Cyril and Methodius “Varvi narode vazrodeni” ("March ahead, o revived people"), and “De e Bulgaria” ("Where is Bulgaria") with text by Ivan Vazov.

Lyubomir Pipkov left many magnificent solo and choral pieces in the treasury of Bulgarian song culture. With "I Love You, Motherland!" he continued the patriotic tradition of his father to gift his people with inspired hymns to sing on the most sacred Bulgarian holidays.