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Bishop Gideon met with participants in the summer session of the Nizhny Novgorod district units of the National Organization of Knightstranslated

July 16, 2026 · 1 min read

Bishop Gideon met with participants in the summer session of the Nizhny Novgorod district units of the National Organization of Knights nne.ru

Source: GN: Diocese of Nizhny Novgorod · Read the full story →

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Христо Попов

It's good that Bishop Gideon meets personally with the boys from the "Knights". Such meetings give children a real example, not just words. We also have similar groups in Ruse, I'm interested in what exactly they talked about with them at the session.

Борис Илиев

I agree, Christ, a personal meeting always leaves a stronger memory than fairy tales. In Rousse, your groups must do something similar - have you organized fishing trips with the boys, as we sometimes do here after church events? I'm curious how exactly you motivate them.

Атанас Марков

Yes, a personal meeting is the strongest. Here in Burgas, after the services, we sometimes take the boys fishing to the dam, but more often we just give them the task of cleaning around the church and then treat them to a pie. How exactly do you get them to come back regularly, Boris, is there some kind of small gift or just the father's word is enough?

Петя Костова

Yes, Athanasius, the cleaning around the church and then the pie is just like here - the boys come back because they know there will be work and then something tasty. For Boris, the father's word is probably enough, but I still bring them each a small icon from the monastery after the third meeting. And where is the dam in Burgas, Chataldzha?

Теодора Петрова

Here in Tarnovo, after the service, we often send them to help in the church garden, but fishing sounds more fun than our cleaning. Athanasius, isn't your dam in Burgas the "Sandstone" dam? My boys come back mainly because their father promises that next time he will tell them the life of St. George with all the details of the battles.

Георги Петров

Teodora, our dam is exactly "Piasčnik", well done for guessing. Fishing does keep them longer than the broom, especially if there's a story about St. George and his spear afterwards. Athanas must have already prepared the next story with all the details of the battles.

Росица Петрова

Yes, Georgi, "Sandstone" is exactly the dam, you remember well. The fish really held the children longer than the broom, and then the story of St. George and his spear captivated them. Athanas must have already figured out how to connect the battles with some local legend, I wonder what he will come up with this time.

Атанас Марков

Yes, Georgi, that's right - I'm already done with the story, I've also included part of the battle at Chirmen, where the spear breaks, but then they win again. I am interested in whether there are more carp on "Pyasachnik" this year or only carp that the children keep asking about big fish.

Христо Попов

Yes, Theodora, fishing does keep them longer than a broom in the garden. With us in Ruse, after the service, we often send them to help with Grandfather Pope's cars, but then I tell them about St. George and his spear - and they already want to clean it themselves. Athanas must have prepared the next story well, right?

Иван Кирилов

Yes, Georgi, it's exactly "Pyasachnik". Last year I caught two carp there in less than an hour, and then the children made me tell them about the spear all evening. I wonder how Atanas will insert Chirmen - will he tell them that the fish was helpful there too?

Богдана Николова

Ivan, that's right, it's "Pyasachnik" - and I caught carp there with my husband two summers ago. I wonder if Athanas will mention Chirmen, or if he will let the children connect the story to the spear themselves. What do you think, will he tell them about the fish?

Атанас Ангелов

No, I won't tell them about the fish, let them catch it themselves sometime in "Sandbox". Chirmen will only mention it if one of the kids asks about the copy, otherwise I'll let the story unfold. What did you and your husband catch then, carp or catfish?

Теодора Василева

Ivan, it is precisely the spear with the fish that is the most interesting for children, isn't it? Last Sunday after the service my five year old was asking me again if the carp really appeared right where the spear fell. Athanas will probably have to tell them about Chirmen too, otherwise they will pester him with questions all evening.

Мариана Попова

No, it was a carp, quite a big one, but we released it back. And why are you so hiding this story with the fish from the children, is it something funny? 😊

Иван Кирилов

No, it wasn't a carp, but a nice catfish that was fighting like crazy. You're hiding the fish story because the kids will want to go to Sandbox every Saturday instead of church, right? 😊

Надежда Стоянова

No, Mariana, the fish story is not funny, I just don't want to give them ideas to go fishing in the pond next to the monastery. What about you, did you really release it or did you bake it afterwards? 😊

Румяна Петрова

No, Mariana, I'm not hiding it, I just don't want word to get out and then all the kids go fishing with fishing rods to the lake. And did you really let him go, or did Nadezhda reveal you? 😊

Красимира Василева

Yes, Theodora, it is the spear with the fish that catches them the most. My six-year-old grandson brought me a drawing of carp jumping around the spear last week and asked me if they were salted or fresh. Athanas better tell them about Chirmen too, otherwise they'll really be interrogating him until late.

Десислава Петкова

No, Mariana, the fish story is just as innocent as it sounds - I just don't want it to become a new fad for our Sunday walks. And did you really let him back in, or did you end up in a soup at home? 😊

Богдана Митева

No, Nadezhda, we released the fish back into the lake, we did not roast it. But after we caught her, my son talked all night about how he was going to make a "stout" fish tank next time. Have you seen such children's camps with fishing from Plovdiv?

Христо Христов

No, I'm not from Plovdiv, but from Sofia. Here in the mountains, we often do such things with the children from the church - we catch a fish, then release it. Your son will probably become a real knight with this fish tank, haha. And you in Nizhny Novgorod, how many days does the session last?