Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2024 All Rights Reserved

The inscription was discovered in the rock monastery near the village of Krepcha

The oldest Cyrillic inscription in the world dating back to 921‎ is found in Bulgaria

Photo: Kadir Kadirov

High above the road near the village of Krepcha in the region of the town of Targovishte, one can stop and see a rock-‎hewn monastery. Founded in the 9th-10th century, it is one of the earliest rock ‎dwellings on the territory of Bulgaria. It was discovered by the father of Bulgarian ‎archeology Karel Škorpil at the beginning of the 20th century, but to this day ‎some of its secrets remain veiled in mystery. ‎

The monastery has been partially restored and is now open for visits. 

The ‎hermitage extends over three floors and once consisted of a church, monastic cells ‎and a church-tomb. There was also a semblance of a veranda, probably covered ‎with a wooden structure or with a stone construction. The middle terrace, where ‎the monastery church used to be, is currently open for visits.‎
Photo: Veneta Nikolova
Yet, the greatest treasure of the Krepcha rock monastery are the inscriptions discovered there.‎

They are in Cyrillic and are about 20 in number. Among them, however, there is ‎also one in the ancient Hebrew language - a mystery that still raises discussions in ‎scientific circles. And the most amazing find is an old inscription at the entrance ‎to the rock church. It was discovered in the early 1970s and reads: "In the year ‎‎921, the servant of God Anton died in the month of October." 

The oldest inscription in Cyrillic dating back to 921 Photo: Miroslav Georgiev
The inscription is ‎‎9 lines long, the first three lines are relatively well read from it, and the following ones ‎contain separate letters and words, which are supposed to carry information about ‎the very date of the death of this monk, and perhaps also the time of death, we ‎learn from Miroslav Georgiev, curator at the Regional Museum of History in ‎nearby Targovishte:‎

‎“This monastery was founded by a monk named Antony or Anton. We ‎understand this from two of the inscriptions in the monastery. He created it at the ‎end of the 9th and the beginning of the 10th century, and a brotherhood of ‎between 5 and 10 monks was formed around him. Antony died in 921. This is ‎reflected in one of the inscriptions, which is the earliest dated Cyrillic inscription ‎found to date. You know that about 250 million people around the world use the ‎Cyrillic alphabet. And we have no earlier inscription than the date 921! This ‎means that the monk Anthony died 25 years before the death of St. Ivan Rilski ‎and 6 years before that of Tsar Simeon, from which it can be concluded that he ‎was their contemporary. So the inscription from Krepcha awakens a discussion ‎about when monasticism actually began in Bulgarian lands and who was its ‎founder," says Miroslav Georgiev.‎

Temple to All Bulgarian Saints
In front of the entrance to the church-tomb, at a height of 8 meters, the researchers ‎came across another amazing find - a relatively well-preserved 5-line inscription. ‎The following is written in very well-carved letters between 2 and 3 cm in size on ‎the stone: "In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Saint ‎Father Anthony † rests here. And whoever made a granary in the church, let him ‎answer before God. The unworthy Michael wrote this. Amen."

The interesting ‎thing is that Antony is called 'holy' in the inscription. It is possible that, after his ‎death, he was declared a saint, claims Miroslav Georgiev.

Inscription oath-warning Photo: Miroslav Georgiev
The inscription in the church-tomb also reveals a curious historical detail. It is ‎about the oath contained in it: And whoever makes a granary in the church, let ‎him answer before God. "There is no other similar document in Bulgarian ‎epigraphy," claims Miroslav Georgiev and adds:‎

‎"This warning oath may have been directed against monks who allowed ‎themselves to use the premises of the monasteries or this particular monastery for ‎economic purposes rather than for worship or ecclesiastical activity. There is ‎another theory. During the period when Tsar Simeon was waging wars in Thrace, ‎there are known testimonies that state that he ordered the grain to feed his army to ‎be stored in churches or similar rock abodes," explains historian Miroslav ‎Georgiev.‎



Read about other rock monasteries in this part of Bulgaria:
Photo: Veneta Nikolova

Photos: Veneta Nikolova, Miroslav Georgiev, Kadir Kadirov

Author of the video: Kadir Kadirov


Translated into English and published by Rositsa Petkova


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

Memorial on Tsarevets hill in Veliko Tarnovo where the independence of Bulgaria was proclaimed

On 22 September 1908 Bulgaria gained its independence

The independence of Bulgaria was proclaimed on 22 September, 1908. After the most audacious independent act in Bulgarian history – the unification of Eastern Rumelia with the Principality of Bulgaria – Bulgarians once again demonstrated the power of..

published on 9/22/24 7:05 AM

Archaeologists unearth another Roman statue in Heraclea Sintica

Bulgarian archaeologists have discovered a second statue in the large sewage channel of the ancient city of Heraclea Sintica. Around 11 a.m. on September 20, the team led by Professor Dr. Lyudmil Vagalinski came across another marble sculpture near..

published on 9/20/24 12:07 PM

The Feast of the Cross is celebrated on September 14

The Orthodox Church celebrates the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. The holiday celebrates the miraculous finding of the cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified. It is one of the 12 major Christian holidays of the year.  When the cross..

published on 9/14/24 10:20 AM