Baba Vanga, the celebrated Bulgarian prophet and faith healer, passed away on November 11, 1996 at the age of 85. Born Vangeliya Pandeva Dimitrova on January 31, 1911 to a peasant family in the Strumica region of Macedonia, she is best known for a purported spiritual gift which allowed her to make predictions about a variety of global events. After being blinded in an accident at the age of 12, Vanga became reclusive and devoted her life to prayer and meditation. Eventually, people visited her to seek spiritual guidance and healing for physical and emotional aliments. Vanga became a renowned figure in the former Eastern Bloc, and her prophecies captivated the imagination of Bulgarians and visitors from around the world. Vanga was awarded the Bulgarian Order of Cyril and Methodius in 1979 by Political leader Todor Zhivkov. Despite her renown, Baba Vanga's life remained one of quiet spiritual devotion and she passed away peacefully in her home surrounded by devoted family and friends. Her spirit and life story live on in the hearts and minds of the countless people she helped and inspired.