Papers by Elmira Vassileva
Revista Istorică, 2024
In the heyday of the American foreign religious missions, Protestant societies were active throug... more In the heyday of the American foreign religious missions, Protestant societies were active throughout the Balkans and in the Middle East. The representatives of the Congregational Church, under the leadership of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (ABCFM), were the most influential among them, operating in the Ottoman Empire since 1819. Their aim was to propagate the Gospel, using a variety of missionary agencies. An important role among these was played by the schools opened by the missionaries with a dual purpose: to prepare native helpers for the mission, and to attract new followers to Protestantism. The first Protestant educational institutions were opened in the Ottoman capital, followed later by others in the European provinces of the empire: in Philippopolis (Plovdiv), Eski Zagra (Stara Zagora), Samokov, Monastir (Bitola) and Salonica (Thessaloniki). Providing good quality and modern education, these schools went far beyond their purely religious priorities, had a wide cultural influence, and promoted ideas and practices that contributed to the modernisation of the Ottoman Balkans.
Preshlenova, Roumiana (ed.). Cities in the Balkans: Spaces, Faces, Memories, Sofia, Institute of Balkan Studies & Centre of Thracology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 2021
The most influential Protestant society which operated in the Ottoman Empire was the American Boa... more The most influential Protestant society which operated in the Ottoman Empire was the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. Its mission station in Monastir (Bitola) was active from 1873 to 1920. There were several aspects of the Protestant activities in the town: evangelistic, educational, literary, medical and relief work. The mission was oriented predominantly towards the Bulgarian population. In addition, the Americans attempted to widen their missionary field, the Albanians being the most responsive. The greatest achievements of the Protestant Mission in Bitola were the establishment of the American Girls' Boarding School and the Bulgarian Evangelical Church.
In: Y. Konstantinova, E. Naxidou (eds.), Greece and Bulgaria. Parallels and Intersections in History and Cultures, Institute of Balkan Studies & Centre of Thracology, Sofia, 2021
The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions was the most influential Protestant soci... more The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions was the most influential Protestant society operating among the non-Muslim population of the Ottoman Empire. Its mission station in Thessaloniki was first opened by the middle of the 19 th c. and existed for several years, directing its work mainly at the Jews but also the Greeks and Bulgarians. In 1894, the town was reoccupied as a station of the American Board's European Turkey Mission under the guidance of the experienced missionaries John Henry House and Edward Haskell. There were several aspects of the American missionary activities in the Ottoman Empire: the literary, the educational, the evangelistic, the medical, and the relief work. The results of the evangelistic efforts of the missionaries from Salonica station were not extensive but they left a significant heritage in the field of education.
Градът на Балканите. Пространства, образи, памет, БАН-ИБЦТ,, 2021
Études balkaniques, 2022
Protestant religious mission in nineteenth century Eski Zağra was carried out by the American Boa... more Protestant religious mission in nineteenth century Eski Zağra was carried out by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, whose station in the town functioned between 1859 and 1877. The mission objective was spiritual reformation of the Bulgarians and the means used by the missionaries in the town included, together with preaching, educational and publication activities. Very important initiative was the organization of a girls’ school, which generated some interest among town people. But most of the missionaries’ efforts met opposition or at least indifference. Although the Americans did not achieve any considerable religious successes, they had some wider cultural influence in nineteenth-century Eski Zağra.
Istanbul has been one of the most magnificent cities in Europe for centuries. Being the Ottoman c... more Istanbul has been one of the most magnificent cities in Europe for centuries. Being the Ottoman capital, it was visited and admired by a great variety of people from both Eastern and Western world, belonging to different religious and social groups of diverse occupations. By the end of the 16th and in the 17th centuries the Ottoman capital became, an important missionary centre of the Catholic Church, hosting many friars who were preaching the Christian truths to the peoples of the Orient. Thus, among many other descriptions of the wonderful city of Istanbul, interesting are also those of the agents of the Roman Church. The purpose of this paper is to present the image of Istanbul through the eyes of the Catholic missionaries coming from Christian Europe during the Post-Tridentine Period (end of 16th – 17th centuries). This study is not aiming at a comprehensive presentation of all Roman Church’s emissaries sent to the Ottoman lands but rather to analyze some of the available report...
Osmanlı Istanbulu VI: İstanbul 29 Mayıs Üniversitesi, 2019
Култура на пътуването в Европейския Югоизток, ИБЦТ, София, 2020
The beginning of the American Protestant missions in the Balkans was in 1930s when the first tour... more The beginning of the American Protestant missions in the Balkans was in 1930s when the first tours of exploration were made aiming at investigating the local conditions and opportunities for missionary work. One of the most important results was the discovery of the Bulgarians and the commencement of purposeful propaganda among them in the 1850s. The missionaries traveled in towns and villages, meeting local people and presenting the ideas of Protestantism, as well as the American values, morality and way of life. In the same time they gained knowledge of the local languages, traditions and peculiarities, regularly publishing their observations in the specialized missionary press. Their reports are interesting source of information about this specific 19th-century cultural interaction in the Balkans.
Дългият осемнадесети век 3. Книгите като събития в Европа и Османската империя (XVII-XIX век), 2020
The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions was the most influential Protestant soci... more The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions was the most influential Protestant society operating among the non-Muslim population of the Ottoman Empire in the 19 th century. The literary work was one of the important aspects of the missionary activities. Thus, the printing press was among the first establishments of the American missionaries, operating at first in Malta, then in Smyrna and since 1853-in Istanbul. It became a major missionary agency, creating and distributing in the vast empire literature in almost every language spoken in its territories. Together with the Bible and other religious texts, they also published grammars and dictionaries, as well as school books. Besides, in order to attract a vast audience, the missionaries issued newspapers and magazines in Armenian, Greek, Turkish and Bulgarian. These Protestant periodicals were distinguished for their quality and affordable prices and were demanded and appreciated by many, having far greater influence and significance than what had been previously contemplated. Undoubtedly, the literary activities of
Солун и българите: история, памет, съвремие, София, ИБЦТ, 2019
The Thessalonica Agricultural and Industrial Institute (the American Farm School) was founded in ... more The Thessalonica Agricultural and Industrial Institute (the American Farm School) was founded in 1904 as a result of the development of the American Protestant missionary work in the town. The founders were J. H. House and E. Haskell, who had acquired huge experience as missionaries among the Bulgarians.The school’s main purpose was to provide the Bulgarians in Ottoman Macedonia with opportunities for practical and useful education which was to support their fulfilment as complete members of a well-functioning society. The Christian values and morality played an essential part in the educational program, thus propagating indirectly Protestant ideas among the local people. Even though the missionaries claimed that the institute was not national, most of the students until 1913 as well as all non-American teachers were Bulgarians.
Християнство и култура, 2018
D. Thomas , J. Chesworth (eds.), Christian-Muslim Relations. A Bibliographical History 1500-1900. Vol. X, Ottoman and Safavid Empires 1600-1700, Brill, Leiden-Boston, 2017
Études balkaniques, 2017
The paper studies the missionary strategies of the Observant Franciscans in the European part of ... more The paper studies the missionary strategies of the Observant Franciscans in the European part of the Ottoman Empire and those of the friars from Bosna Argentina Province in particular. The Bosnian Franciscan mission in the Bulgarian lands and the evangelization endeavors of the Bosnian and Bulgarian friars among the so-called Paulicians is in the focus of the research. A brief account of the missionaries’ relations with the Orthodox and Muslim population is also given. These issues are situated in the context of both the Franciscan Order’s missionary traditions and the implementation of the Catholic reforms in the Early Modern Period.
Societas Classica. Култури и религии на Балканите, в Средиземноморието и Изтока”, т. IX, Университетско издателство Св. Св. Кирил и Методий, Велико Търново, 2017
F. M. Emecen, A. Akyıldız, E. S. Gürkan (eds.), Osmanli Istanbulu IV, İstanbul : İstanbul 29 Mayıs Üniversitesi; İstanbul Büyükşehir Belediyesi, 2016
„Societas Classica. Култури и религии на Балканите, в Средиземноморието и Изтока”, VII, Университетско изд. „Св. Св. Кирил и Методий”, Велико Търново, 2015
The Ottoman Empire does not have uniform policy toward the catholics within its bounderies. By re... more The Ottoman Empire does not have uniform policy toward the catholics within its bounderies. By reason of that the Catholic groups in the empire acquire different statuses, which depend on the specific circumstancess and the achieved agreements between them and the Ottoman power. There are two main groups among them: Catholics – subjects of the empire and foreigners (their status depends on the provisions of the Еuropean states’ capitulations). The case of the Franciscans from Bosnia is unique while they are Sultan’s subjects but, as representatives of the Catholic clergy, they are permitted to profess and to care for the Catholic flock in the Empire.
Личност, народ, история. Националноосвободителните борби през периода ХV-ХІХ в., София, 2014
The missionary activities of the friars from the Franciscan province Bosna Argentina were importa... more The missionary activities of the friars from the Franciscan province Bosna Argentina were important for the Catholic religion in the lands under the Ottomans. Together with the enlargement of the Ottoman boundaries, the territories of the Bosnian Franciscan province were enlarged too. The Bosnian friars founded a mission in the Bulgarian lands by the end of the 16th century. It was very successful and restored the Catholic movement in these regions, which flourished in the 17th century. The Bulgarian Franciscan Custody gradually become independent but the Bosnian and Bulgarian Catholic institutions keep close relations during the whole 17th century. Due to these relations the Bulgarian Catholics were integrated in a large, multiethnic and cross-border Catholic community in Southeastern Europe, determined by the work of the Bosnian Franciscan missionaries. This enabled the Bulgarian Catholics to travel and to have contacts, which still needs further researches.
Uploads
Papers by Elmira Vassileva