Dome without papers

Dangerous clouds hover on the patriarchal Cathedral of Saint Alexander Nevski, the national symbol of Bulgaria, built at the end of the 19th century in the historical centre of Sofia. The neo-Byzantine style building is the largest basilica in the Balkan region, the major place of worship in Bulgaria, and the main tourist attraction in the country. With its richly-decorated marble incisions and its precious frescos, the Saint Alexander Nevski Cathedral is listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site. “It features 247 images of saints painted by the major artists of the Russian and Bulgarian school at the end of the 19th century such as Viktor Vasnecov, Nikolay Bruni, Anton Mitov and Ivan Mrkvicka”, said Zdravko Kamenarov, restorer at the School of Fine Arts in Sofia. Nine thousand meters of frescos at risk. The precious frescos are in a state of ruin and necessitate urgent conservation works. “Serious restoration has not been carried out for the past 100 years”, said the archpriest of the basilica, Orthodox bishop Tihon, who explained that “the roof under the cupola has leaks and the water runs along the paintings”. In fact, some stains of humidity are visible on the artefacts. For Kamenarov, “the vinegar in the colours used by the painters is also a problem, as it decomposes the painting’s structure”. “It requires long and complex restoration work”, pointed out the restorer. He added: “The entire painted surface of the dome measures nine thousand square meters, the process would last at least ten years involving an expense of some 2 million euros”. The property problem. But even though the dome requires urgent interventions, archpriest Tihon is powerless. “The cathedral doesn’t have a property deed, neither a notary deed nor of any other kind, which makes the Bulgarian Orthodox Church unable to carry out any form of conservation work. At the time, nobody thought that the temple would have necessitated documents”. In fact, the property problem was raised also because under communism the Saint Alexander Nevski Cathedral was administered by the minister of Culture. According to bishop Tihon a special law is needed to restore to the Bulgarian Orthodox Church full property over the basilica. On the initiative of Plamen Slavov, president of the Parliamentary Commission for Religions, Parliament has adopted an amendment to the law on worship focusing on this specific matter. “Parliamentary procedures are slow – said the MP – and the issue is complicated: there are many interests at stake”. The crypt and the icons. The delicate spot is the crypt under the basilica, which preserves one of the largest icon museums in Europe, administered by the minister of Culture. “The crypt is an integral part of the basilica. We cannot accept a half portion the temple”, claimed bishop Tihon, who added, “the museum was created under communist rule, which confiscated icons from churches and monasteries so they would not be attended by the faithful”. Raliza Russeva, administrator of the crypt, is not sure that “the Orthodox Church will be able to run this kind of museum”. United to save the dome. MP Slavov is optimistic, and believes that “during the meetings with Church and State representatives a solution will be found”. “Also because – he added – Saint Alexander Nevski is the symbol of the nation. It was built thanks to the donations and the efforts of thousands of Bulgarians who wished to have a beautiful and dignified cathedral”. In the meantime, artists, journalists and intellectuals have undertaken several initiatives to collect funds for the patriarchal cathedral. An unusual fact is that the greatest benefactor of the basilica (with 17 thousand euro) is a “beggar” that is usually positioned on the stairs of the dome, “grandpa Dobri”, respected by many Bulgarians. “The reconstruction of this symbol of Bulgaria should also be a prerogative of the State that has the duty to help the Orthodox Church in this enterprise”, said Ekaterina Genova, president of the Committee “Let’s restore splendour to the Basilica”. Bishop Tihon believes that if the Church were officially recognized as the owner of the temple, “it would be possible to make an official request for European funding”. In any case, it will be necessary to take concrete initiatives, since “if not, – pointed out Prof. Kamenarov – while institutions continue discussing about property issues, the frescos will be definitely ruined”.