The Bulgarian Orthodox Church marks today the Dormition of St. John of Rila (Ivan Rilski), patron saint of Bulgaria and the Bulgarian People. St. John of Rila was born around 876 in the village of Skrino located at the foot of the Osogovo Mountain. He was a contemporary of the reign of Knyaz Boris I and his son Vladimir, Tsar Simeon I the Great and his son Tsar Peter I, when Christianity was spreading across Bulgaria.
At the age of 25, St. John of Rila became a priest at St Demetrius monastery located under Ruen peak. After accepting the life of a monk, he left the monastery in order to continue his life in solitude and prayer. Later he settled in Rila and founded the Rila Monastery. He died in 946 and was buried in the small church in the Rila Monastery. St. John of Rila was canonized around 980.
On Good Friday, the Church recalls the great sufferings of Jesus Christ, who accepted by His own will to be judged, scourged, spat upon, humiliated, slapped, and shown to the people in a purple robe, with a crown of thorns on His head. With the..
On that day the Saviour hosted the traditional Passover meal for the Jewish people at the home of a Jerusalemite. Before the meal, as a sign of respect, He washed the apostles' feet and said, "I did not come to be served, but to serve". At the table,..
The attack in the "St. Nedelya" cathedral on April 16, 1925 is the deadliest terrorist act in the history of Bulgaria. It took place on Maundy Thursday and in terms of its brutality and premeditation, it has no analogue. During Holy..
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