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 10 May we mark 72 years since the restoration of the Bulgarian Patriarchate, whose existence ended at the end of the 14th century when Bulgaria fell under five centuries of Ottoman rule. Efforts to restore it began in the Renaissance. In 1870 the..
In popular belief, St George is the younger twin brother of St Demetrius . Ethnographers describe them as Christianised images of mythical heroes - strong, agile and swift. They are victorious, leaping over mountains and seas, releasing the waters,..
"You must have strong faith and pray - then the saint will help you and carry your prayer to God," says Father Georgi Markov of the Church of St. Athanasius the Great in Gorni Lozen near Sofia. He adds that he has often witnessed the miracles of St..
One of the most revered holidays for Muslims, Kurban Bayrami (Eid al-Adha), has begun. It is associated with sacrifice, forgiveness and compassion...
Today, June 7, is one of the special days in the liturgical year, in which we offer prayers for forgiveness of sins and repose of the..
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