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High School student in Svishtov


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High School student in Svishtov

 

In 1883 Peter Dunov continued his studies in Svishtov. Following his propensity for freedom of thought, he enrolled at a novel school: he was one of the few first-year students at the newly opened theology department of the American Methodist School. That was an excellent opportunity to acquire more profound knowledge of the ideas of the "traveling preacher", as John Wesley was popularly known.

To the father, the Eastern Orthodox priest Dunovski, this choice was quite unexpected, but he respected his son's right to make his own choice, and not attempted to stop him. He remembered his meeting with the mysterious monk in Thessaloniki and believed that his son had a special mission to fulfill, a mission in service of pure Christian faith.

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Pastor Tsvetanov about Peter Dunov:

"At the American high school in Svishtov, we were in the same class with Peter, and we shared the same room. He was a very good and intelligent student. It was in preaching, however, that he was unrivaled. We were being trained as Evangelical preacher-missionaries, and one of our subjects was pastoral theology. His sermons were unique; his words were inspired, as if winged. We all loved listening to him... "

In his first years in Svishtov, Peter Dunov lived in the school's boarding house. He often got up early in the morning and played his violin quietly, so as not to disturb the others. He went out early to greet the dawn from a nearby hill. Then he went to school in high spirits. Lively and cheerful, he would walk to the campus early in the morning, before classes, and often assured people cheerfully: "God will provide!" This was his mental disposition throughout his life.

 

Pastor Peter Tihchev about Peter Dunov:

"I was an Evangelical pastor in Svishtov. Peter Deunov, a student at the high school, came to live with us as a tenant. We had two daughters, also students. Peter was good at school, diligent and honest, very quiet and humble. He would come back from school and spend hours reading and playing the violin. He sometimes talked with my daughters; their discussions were most often about science and music. He spent three school years with us."

Peter Dunov spent his last high-school years as a tenant in the home of Pastor Peter Tihchev. Tihchev's wife was strongly impressed by his erudition and hoped to arrange his marriage to one of her daughters. Although unwillingly, her husband agreed to help. However, all his attempts to raise the issue with Peter Dunov remained futile; Dunov was always evasive about it. It so happened that the girl fell ill, her condition deteriorated rapidly and she soon passed away. Much later, Pastor Tihchev commented: "It was obvious that the boy had not come to this world to get married." On June 24, 1887, Peter Dunov received his certificate for a completed five-year course at the Theology Department of the American School of Science and Theology in Svishtov. His grades in the subjects "Scripture Interpretation" and "Pastoral Theology" were "excellent". It was obvious that he was to become a preacher.

 

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Dunov's certificate of completed studies in Svishtov.


 

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