Eugene Bossilkov (1900–1952)

Biography

His mother accompanied him to the Passionist seminary of Ores at the age of eleven, as she had made the promise that her son would be for God in the service of the Church, and the Lord accepted it. After humanistic studies and novitiate in Belgium and Holland, he returned to his homeland to receive ordination. He was sent to the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome where he studied four years and learned seven languages. He was specifically trained for an intense relationship with the Orthodox churches and ecumenism was always, in his preaching and celebrations, a frequent theme. In 1947 he was appointed bishop of Nicoplis-Russe. A testimony from his time points out: «I always had great admiration for that extraordinary man, of great culture, of great faith; a shepherd worthy of Christ, good, gentle, humble, generous, always willing to help those who needed it. He used to say: “Don't be afraid to bother me: I am here to serve my brothers.” In 1944, the communist government's opposition to the Vatican was blatant. A bill on religious confessions arrived, to which priests were obliged to swear. Eugenio responded: “I have told you categorically that I will never do it.” He was arrested in 1952 and presented in court as “head of the subversive Catholic espionage organization.” Since the judges could not convince Bishop Bossilkov to sign the self-indictment they had prepared for him, he was sentenced to death by firing squad. His agony was four months in prison and torture. The sentence was carried out on November 11, 1952, but since no official statement was given, nothing was officially known. Confirmation of his death did not take place until 1975, when, in his audience with the head of the Bulgarian State, Todor Zhikov, Pope Paul VI asked him explicitly and directly about Bossilkov's fate. "Bishop Bossilkov died in prison 23 years ago," was the response. He was beatified on March 15, 1998, in Rome, where Christian crowds flow and the rivers of blood of all the martyrs converge.