The whole action took place in Bulgaria immediately after the Liberation, but while Plovdiv was still part of Eastern Rumelia. At that moment, the name of the street was Chaushoolu Sokak, but a generous act of mercy of the then Metropolitan Panaret, with which he saved a house from a moneylender, changed its name forever.
The year was 1883, and a widow with her two daughters lived in the house in question. The daughters were also widows, and all their children were also female. One of them suddenly married a foreign officer, which brought great joy to the ladies' kingdom. He was young, strong, in a shiny uniform, and welcomed into the home as a true deity. All his wishes and whims were fulfilled, and it even came to the point that at one time the ownership of the property was transferred to him. He immediately pawned it and hurried to transfer to work in Sofia, conveniently leaving his wife.
Life in the house continued as before, and the son-in-law was only known to be working in the capital. The whole truth became clear on June 2, 1883, when a moneylender stopped in front of the building and asked the ladies to vacate the property, because the pawn expired on that day. The bailiffs and gendarmes rushed in before they could realize what was happening. Things seemed settled - the women would be left homeless, but suddenly they began to resist and the whole neighborhood learned of their drama and unhappiness.
In the midst of the scandal, the rumor of which apparently spread to the highest rank of clergy, an envoy of the Bishop of Plovdiv arrived, who announced that by the end of the day the Metropolitan would pay the debt. Since then, everyone has started to use Dyado Panaretova Street as its name. This is how it was remembered, and in 1902 this was officially approved by a municipal decision. A “Metropolit Panaret Street” sign also appeared on the building, which is still there today and is considered to be the oldest street sign in the city. The sign is preserved, but it is very dirty with plaster and needs cleaning.
The house itself - the apple of discord and an occasion for renaming the street, was built by unknown masters and doesn’t shine with artistic qualities. The building is quite ordinary and its position even creates a lot of inconvenience for passers-by. But given its unusual urban history, it still arouses the interest of Plovdiv residents.
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