Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Bulgarian Orthodox Church marks Dormition of St. John of Rila

Photo: archive

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.




Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

A new guidebook presents pilgrimage tourism routes in Bulgaria

A guidebook to the major Christian pilgrimage routes in the country was presented during the first national conference dedicated to pilgrimage tourism in Bulgaria, attended by Minister of Tourism Miroslav Borshosh, Metropolitan Anthony of Western and..

published on 6/27/25 10:50 AM

Bulgarians' traditional costumes from the Romanian village of Băleni-Sârbi featured in an ethnographic catalogue

An album showcasing traditional folk costumes from the seven regions of the Wallachia area in Romania was presented at the Giurgiu County Museum. The catalogue, titled Ethnographic Collection of the “Teohari Antonescu” Museum in Giurgiu – Folk..

published on 6/26/25 5:10 PM

Archaeologists discover a gold coin from the time of Emperor Justinian I

A gold coin minted during the reign of Emperor Justinian I, ruler of the Eastern Roman Empire, was discovered during excavations at the Tuida Fortress near Sliven. According to Associate Professor Dr. Nikolay Sirakov, Director of the Regional History..

published on 6/25/25 9:11 AM