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

The Cyril and Methodius monument in front of the National Library in Sofia.

Scientists from 14 countries meet to discuss the legacy of Christian missions in the Middle Ages

An international scientific conference will be held in Sofia from 21 to 24 May, the days preceding the celebration of Saints Cyril and Methodius, announced the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS). The conference, titled "Christian Missions in the European..

published on 5/21/25 9:10 AM

What else don't we know about the Glagolitic alphabet, one of the oldest surviving alphabets?

A key to our heritage and national identity, the Glagolitic alphabet is an alphabet and a message to Europe, surrounded by many hypotheses. To mark the 1170th anniversary of its creation, we take a trip back to the 9th century, when the brothers Cyril..

published on 5/16/25 12:52 PM

Bulgarian Minister of Justice in Athos: The Zograf Monastery is one of the symbols of Bulgarian spirituality

A Bulgarian delegation, led by Minister of Justice Georgi Georgiev, attended the enthronement of Archimandrite Gavriil as abbot of the Zograf Monastery in Mount Athos. Hieromonk Gavriil elected new abbot of Zograf Monastery “This is a..

published on 5/11/25 2:25 PM