Prof. Milena Tsaneva, a leading Bulgarian literary historian and critic, has passed away at 95. Born in Sofia to a literary family—her father, Georgi Tsanev, a critic, and her mother, Penka Tsaneva-Blennika, a poet—she grew up surrounded by poets such as Bagryana, Dalchev, and Geo Milev. This early influence shaped her devotion to literature as both scholarship and moral compass.

Prof. Tsaneva dedicated her life to studying Ivan Vazov, whom she called “our moral and cultural horizon.” Her twelve books and over 250 studies combined precise analysis with empathy, bringing classic texts to life. As a professor at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski,” she was respected for her high standards, her sense of language as “moral hygiene,” and her generosity to students.

She disliked careerism and valued the quiet dignity of work well done over public acclaim. In her memoir Broenitsa, she recalled not only the milestones of her scholarship but also the intimate memories through which literature became inseparable from life itself.

The funeral will be held on 2 July 2025 at 13:00 at the Church of Saint Sophia in Sofia.

Editor: Elizabeth Radkova