Keeping Bulgarian roots alive at the heart of Zurich

Human lives rarely follow a straight or logical course. There is a quiet paradox in the story of Magdalena Nedelcheva: raised in Shumen, where the Pliska–Preslav Literary School flourished and Bulgaria’s Golden Age of letters took shape, she trained as a Slavic philologist before eventually making her home in Zurich. Today, she teaches Bulgarian and works to preserve the language among children growing up far from Bulgaria.

Far from becoming just another emigrant, Magdalena has found a different calling. She has devoted herself to preserving and passing on the Bulgarian language, carrying the literary heritage of Preslav to a new generation growing up far from its homeland.

Her story suggests that life's twists are not always as random as they first appear. We meet beneath the soaring Gothic vaults of Zurich's Predigerkirche, whose cool austerity lends the conversation an air of quiet solemnity. The church stands only a few steps from Zurich's Central Library, where the priceless Reichenau Codex is preserved. Among its treasures is the name of St Methodius, a reminder that the Apostle of the Slavs once passed through these lands.

It is a place where geography and spiritual history intersect, quietly reminding visitors that the tradition of Bulgarian literacy and Christian heritage has long formed part of Europe's wider cultural landscape. Today, only a short walk from that centuries-old manuscript, Magdalena is simply continuing the same unseen Plan.

"After graduating from Shumen University with a degree in Bulgarian and Russian Philology, I wanted to explore opportunities at other universities. That's what brought me here. At first, I had to take a job outside my profession so I could learn the local language – Swiss German. At school I had studied only standard German, so I first had to get to grips with the Swiss dialect.

"Gradually, I was able to bring my son over as well. He grew up here, embraced the local culture and is now completing his master's degree at the University of Zurich. We are very happy with our life here – it has given us a real sense of peace."

When the Swiss system declined to recognise her philological qualifications, Magdalena was forced to seek work outside her profession. It might easily have marked the end of her academic vocation. Instead, it led her in a different direction. She devoted herself to teaching Bulgarian to children growing up abroad, helping them preserve a living connection with their language and heritage.

Twenty years is long enough to settle into life in Switzerland and feel at home. But for Magdalena, true peace came from more than successful integration. It came through finding a spiritual home where her native language could also become the language of prayer. She found that home in the Bulgarian church in Zurich, where her personal search for meaning met the fatherly guidance of a devoted pastor.

"At first I didn't even know our church existed," she recalls. "Gradually, through Facebook and the internet, I discovered it and began attending the services. Father Yordan is an exceptionally kind man. He introduced us not only to the Orthodox faith but also to life in Zurich and to the Bulgarian community here. He helps us with absolutely everything he can."

Magdalena and the parishioners of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church Community of St George the Victorious are keen to repay that kindness in practical ways. They support Father Yordan Pashev whenever they can, generously giving their time, skills and energy for the benefit of the community.

The Bulgarian church in Zurich is anything but inward-looking. Its traditions are shared well beyond the parish, drawing Swiss visitors who come to learn about Orthodox customs and Bulgarian culture. What begins as curiosity often grows into conversation, bringing together people from different backgrounds through shared celebrations and faith.

One of the highlights of that exchange is the community's participation in the annual feast of Zurich's early Christian patrons, the martyrs St Felix and St Regula. In the heart of Europe, Magdalena experiences a profound sense of belonging to the wider Orthodox world, where Bulgarians contribute alongside other Orthodox Christians to preserving a shared spiritual heritage.

On this day of shared Christian remembrance, the Bulgarian community leaves its own warm and distinctive mark by sharing traditional food with fellow participants.

"For this feast we Bulgarians always prepare plenty of traditional dishes from our homeland and share them with everyone else," Magdalena says.

Having left the birthplace of the Preslav literary tradition to build a life in Switzerland, Magdalena now finds herself fulfilling that heritage in an unexpected way. By teaching Bulgarian to children growing up far from their homeland, she is helping ensure that the language continues to be passed on to future generations.

As long as there are people like Magdalena in Zurich, inspiring children to read and write in Cyrillic and to value their roots, Bulgaria's language and cultural heritage will continue to thrive, wherever its people call home.

Editor: D. Grigorova
Supervising editor: E. Karkalanova