On 18 August the Bulgarian Orthodox church marks the Assumption of St. John (Yoan) of Rila, the most revered Bulgarian saint, protector of Bulgaria, also called the miracle-worker of Rila. John of Rila is one of the most prominent figures of the Middle Ages having influenced the entire Christian Orthodox world.
Born in 876 in Skrino village in the foothills of Mount Osogovo, he lived in the time of Prince Boris, his sons Vladimir and Tsar Simeon the Great, and his son Tsar Peter. This period is known as the Golden Age, when Christianity became an official religion for Bulgarians, a period of flourishment of Bulgarian culture and literature.
While still a young man, John, who longed to devote his life to God, left the village where he was born and entered a monastery. Once he became a monk he left the monastery in search of solitude in Mount Rila. There, he founded Rila Monastery, and spend his life in prayer and solitude.
He died in 946 and is buried in the small monastery church of Rila Monastery.
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 souls of our deceased loved ones. In the calendar of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, All..
One of the most revered holidays for Muslims, Kurban Bayrami (Eid al-Adha), has begun. It is associated with sacrifice, forgiveness and compassion. According to Sezer Sadulov from the Regional Mufti’s Office in Kardzhali, Kurban Bayram strengthens..
On June 2, we bow to Hristo Botev - a zealous supporter of the freedom of Bulgaria, a poet and a publicist. At exactly 12:00, a siren's howl and a minute of silence remind us of the feat of the revolutionary and of all those who..
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