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Originally posted by Soldier of Macedon
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I found the Greek bishop in deep, earnest, low conversation with the pasha and I could only make known my request, which was readily granted, and depart.
I easily found out the cause of the bishop's earnestness with the pasha. A Bulgarian sheep merchant had established in his village a school for Bulgarians, and had excluded Greek; whereas the policy of the church was to Hellenize the Bulgarians and allow nothing but the Greek. The bishop, about a week before, had visited the school and demanded that a Greek teacher should have charge of it. The founder of the school told the bishop not to trouble himself about the language,
since he did not pay any thing for the school. The bishop was the stronger man. From words he proceeded to blows, threw the merchant down and, in his righteous anger, might have beaten him to death, but that his own men interfered. The bloody Bulgarian had to keep his house a few days, until he could appear before the pasha. The bishop had already prepared the case by proving that the merchant assaulted the bishop and he only defended himself. He hadn't touched him himself, his attendants had beaten him for his impiety. So the Bulgarian was thrown into prison and was lying there at the time. I afterwards
learned that he got free by paying twenty thousand piastres to the bishop. The case excited such indignation among the Bulgarians, that I heard many say with suppressed breath, "No more Greek bishops for us!" After all, it was the bishop's head that was broken.
In a few days, the Bulgarian recovered, and the honor in which he was held by the people was the measure of their detestation of the bishop. It was only one of many instances in which the worst oppressors of the Christians were their own clergy.
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I found the Greek bishop in deep, earnest, low conversation with the pasha and I could only make known my request, which was readily granted, and depart.
I easily found out the cause of the bishop's earnestness with the pasha. A Bulgarian sheep merchant had established in his village a school for Bulgarians, and had excluded Greek; whereas the policy of the church was to Hellenize the Bulgarians and allow nothing but the Greek. The bishop, about a week before, had visited the school and demanded that a Greek teacher should have charge of it. The founder of the school told the bishop not to trouble himself about the language,
since he did not pay any thing for the school. The bishop was the stronger man. From words he proceeded to blows, threw the merchant down and, in his righteous anger, might have beaten him to death, but that his own men interfered. The bloody Bulgarian had to keep his house a few days, until he could appear before the pasha. The bishop had already prepared the case by proving that the merchant assaulted the bishop and he only defended himself. He hadn't touched him himself, his attendants had beaten him for his impiety. So the Bulgarian was thrown into prison and was lying there at the time. I afterwards
learned that he got free by paying twenty thousand piastres to the bishop. The case excited such indignation among the Bulgarians, that I heard many say with suppressed breath, "No more Greek bishops for us!" After all, it was the bishop's head that was broken.
In a few days, the Bulgarian recovered, and the honor in which he was held by the people was the measure of their detestation of the bishop. It was only one of many instances in which the worst oppressors of the Christians were their own clergy.
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His journey in Plovdiv continues...
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Athanase, the Greek teacher, probably did not relish the conversation. He came to our room at the khan. He had something on his mind. He wanted to tell me about the Turkish oppressions. I listened to him with eagerness. It was my object to learn all the facts I could. He then told
me a harrowing story of the governor's seizing a beautiful maiden and taking her to his harem and the awful cruelties he perpetrated upon friends of the poor girl who tried to rescue her. I took down the chief points. I was determined that atrocity should be made public at Constantinople and in England and America and that Lord Stratford de
Rodcliffe should know every particular. I thought of even going to the old monster and telling him that, by his own law, he could not escape Gehenna. And then, it occurred to me that Greeks sometimes exaggerate; and that the story was a little too complete, rounded out into a fulness of iniquity,a little suspicious!
On inquiry, I found that the whole thing was a fabrication; and when I threatened Athanase with exposure, he begged with such abject terror, that I let him go. How many he had actually deceived with this well-told story, who can tell? I have met this same story, in all its chief points, so often, that it is evidently the stock in trade of a certain class of story-tellers, who love to practise upon the credulity of foreigners. That outrages of this nature have occurred in Turkey, is undoubtedly true. That every Greek dragoman manufactures them for every traveller who falls into his hands, is equally true. It is not absolutely necessary for one to put unlimited faith in all that he hears from people of that class. And yet, it is very hard for a traveller to disbelieve any thing, especially if it is wonderful.
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Athanase, the Greek teacher, probably did not relish the conversation. He came to our room at the khan. He had something on his mind. He wanted to tell me about the Turkish oppressions. I listened to him with eagerness. It was my object to learn all the facts I could. He then told
me a harrowing story of the governor's seizing a beautiful maiden and taking her to his harem and the awful cruelties he perpetrated upon friends of the poor girl who tried to rescue her. I took down the chief points. I was determined that atrocity should be made public at Constantinople and in England and America and that Lord Stratford de
Rodcliffe should know every particular. I thought of even going to the old monster and telling him that, by his own law, he could not escape Gehenna. And then, it occurred to me that Greeks sometimes exaggerate; and that the story was a little too complete, rounded out into a fulness of iniquity,a little suspicious!
On inquiry, I found that the whole thing was a fabrication; and when I threatened Athanase with exposure, he begged with such abject terror, that I let him go. How many he had actually deceived with this well-told story, who can tell? I have met this same story, in all its chief points, so often, that it is evidently the stock in trade of a certain class of story-tellers, who love to practise upon the credulity of foreigners. That outrages of this nature have occurred in Turkey, is undoubtedly true. That every Greek dragoman manufactures them for every traveller who falls into his hands, is equally true. It is not absolutely necessary for one to put unlimited faith in all that he hears from people of that class. And yet, it is very hard for a traveller to disbelieve any thing, especially if it is wonderful.
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It really gives an insight of the situation in 1857`s. The struggle of non-Greek speaking people vs. Greek bishops. They were Hellenizing people in Macedonia and Bulgaria by force especially after 1850. Using violence against the ones who builds schools of Bulgarian language in Plovdiv. They were getting this authority from the Turks but at the same time they were fabricating false stories about so-called Turkish oppression and spread these lies to everyone.
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