Priest Vasil Bechevski from Mannheim - between the church and the hospital

Vasil Bechevski is a parish priest at two Bulgarian Orthodox church parishes in Germany - "St. Petka Tarnovska" in Mannheim and "Presentation of the Virgin" in Mainz. He lives in Mannheim with his family and upon their arrival in 2012, it was the community that helped them settle and integrate in Germany. When on October 14, 2017 Metropolitan Anthony ordained him a priest and entrusted him with the spiritual care of Bulgarians from Mannheim and the region, he was already an integral part of the Bulgarian church community there and has been actively participating in its life and services for years.

Despite everything that unites them – their Orthodox faith, their affiliation with the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, the hardships and difficulties abroad, each of our church communities abroad has specific features in its organization. What is remarkable about the Bulgarian Orthodox Church parish "St. Petka" is that Father Vasil Bechevski and the members of the church community in Mannheim are strongly socially engaged. They support Bulgarians who arrive in Germany for treatment of serious illnesses that require palliative care, helping them to navigate this very different environment during their treatment. By the way, some of the members of the church community in Mannheim have arrived in Germany precisely over such health issues.

Guided by Christian love and empathy, members of the parish also participate in various campaigns to collect aid for people and regions in need in Bulgaria, for repairs of churches and monasteries, and for other charitable initiatives.

Together with the municipality of Mannheim, the church board also organizes a German language course and lends a hand to newly arrived compatriots to help with their integration.

He describes the decision to accept becoming a priest as follows:

"In a wonderful way, one feels God's call within oneself. This is an inner feeling that one wants to embark on the path of priesthood and it cannot be described in words."

In addition to Bulgarians from Mannheim and the region, foreigners also go the Bulgarian church. When asked what attracts them there and how they become involved in the life of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church parish, Father Vasil answers this way:

"These Orthodox Germans, Syrians, Russians feel that our Orthodox Church is this saving haven that is so vitally important for the human soul. If we leave aside the Russians, who are an Orthodox people, and turn to the German Orthodox families, these are people who grew up in other denominations, but in one way or another have discovered the Truth, the Way and the Life, and follow Christ as the Orthodox Church has taught for centuries: truly, unchangingly and correctly. They feel within themselves that there is no other way and no other salvation than Orthodoxy."

Father Vasil is pleased to share that the Bulgarian Orthodox Church in Mannheim is in close cooperation with the representations of the Bulgarian state in Germany: with the embassy in Berlin, with the consulate in Frankfurt, the consulate in Munich, and that "the state and the Church work together here, at the local level. And this communion between us gives us confidence and peace of mind that the Church and the state can be together hand in hand."

In conclusion, Father Vasil Bechevski expresses hope:

"May God hear our prayers and may we have our own church. A temple that will become a spiritual and social center for the Bulgarians in the region. A temple that will be a haven for all Bulgarians. For all those who are outside the Motherland, but are not far from God. These people are not few here, in Germany. More and more young people are coming, turning to God, seeking a connection with Him. This is my most fervent prayer: that we may have our own church, both in Mannheim and in Mainz."