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

Prayer procession on Bright Tuesday in village of Momchilovtsi

Momchilovtsi village
Photo: Bozhidar Cholakov, BNR-Kurdzhali

On the third day after Easter, when the Orthodox Church celebrates Bright Tuesday, a prayer procession takes place in Momchilovtsi village in the Rhodopes, known by the locals as St. Letenia.  

It is unique in this part of the country and was introduced by hieromonk Gregorius from Mount Athos, who came to Momchilovtsi in 1837-38 where he founded the first monastery school. He led the local people on a procession around the monasteries and to a hill not far from the village, where they lit candles and placed them on a big rock.

In 1911 the local people raised some money, and on that same spot the Resurrection of Christ chapel was erected, also known as St. Letenia, and the procession was incorporated into the rituals performed on the third day of Easter. 



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

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
Българска Патриаршия

The Bulgarian Patriarchate celebrates 72 years since its restoration

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..

published on 5/10/25 10:44 AM