In the movies, lawyers’ lives are really dynamic: they travel all the time and have exciting, and sometimes dangerous, experiences. Real-life lawyers can usually be found at their desks, writing and reading. It’s no surprise, then, that Evgenia Mihailova and her coworkers at Eurolex Bulgaria, the law firm in which she is a partner, jumped at the chance of taking part in the study of ancient Roman graves and mosaics.
The firm’s traditional team-building trip became a real adventure, and Evgenia took on the role of grave explorer—as her Hollywood equivalent might have. While there were no Hollywood endings, the experience was exciting because of the opportunity to explore the remains of the largest early Christian temple found in Bulgaria—the Bishop’s Basilica of Philippopolis. “We wanted to help uncover the Basilica and open it to visitors because it is part of the cultural heritage not only of Bulgaria but of the entire world as well,” Evgenia says.
“We chose to volunteer at the Basilica because we wanted to do something unique and different that involved physical work. Our work carries an extremely high degree of responsibility and is very stressful. In this sense, it is important to ‘get your hands dirty’ sometimes. I believe physical work helps you cope with stress and clears your mind,” she says.
So, in early October, in 2016, the Eurolex team took the two-hour trip from Sofia to Plovdiv. At the Basilica site, the volunteers went through a brief orientation by the team of archeologists and restorers, and each member was assigned a specific task. Some helped dig up and throw away dirt. Others cleaned mosaics. Evgenia helped uncover a grave. The bones were cleaned thoroughly with brushes, then wrapped in a special way and placed in sacks. In one grave, she found a well-preserved glass bracelet and earrings. “The feeling of discovering something so old buried in the earth is amazing,” Evgenia says.
Enlisting volunteer help in the recovery of ancient ruins is unconventional in Bulgarian archeological practice. However, the volunteers’ contribution is unquestionable: with their help, since 2015, more than 21,000 square feet of magnificent ancient mosaics have been revealed and will be accessible to the public in late 2019, when Plovdiv is set to host a series of events as the European Capital of Culture. Volunteers helped reveal a second layer of mosaics, a donor’s inscription dating from the 4–5th century, and a peacock mosaic in front of the main entrance.
Evgenia is certain that “such initiatives contribute to the development of our civil society and teach us to invest personal time and energy in publicly significant projects. The work was really well organized in order to make the most of the extra help.”
Evgenia has a law degree from Sofia University and twenty years of experience in corporate law. In 1998, she joined the newly founded Eurolex Bulgaria, which has become one of the biggest law firms in the country. Over the years, the firm has supported various causes by providing free legal counseling and making financial contributions. Eurolex often supports the publication of legal literature and participates in various initiatives, such as the fundraising campaign for the new Sofia District Court building.
The Bishop’s Basilica of Philippopolis, built in the 4–5th century AD and probably destroyed in an earthquake in the 7th century, was discovered during construction works in the 1980s. The restoration of the Basilica mosaics is funded by the America for Bulgaria Foundation in partnership with Plovdiv Municipality. In early 2018, the Bishop’s Basilica and the Roman mosaic heritage of Philippopolis successfully passed the first step toward recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The anticipated opening of the Bishop’s Basilica of Philippopolis is in September 2019.
