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

Church honors heavenly protector of Bulgarians

Photo: BGNES

On October 19 the Orthodox Church marks the Feast of St. John of Rila - heavenly protector of the Bulgarian people. Ivan Rilski was born around 876 and until the age of 25 was a shepherd, but after that he became a monk and lived in complete solitude, prayer and fasting. He died in year 946 and was buried in the Rila Monastery that he established.

For the past 20 years, on the initiative of the Bulgarian Doctors' Union, the Day of Bulgarian Doctor has been marked on this date as St. Ivan Rilski is considered the patron saint of doctors.



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

Cloudy and rainy weather on the first day of March

On Saturday it will be mostly cloudy with light rain, which in some places in the northern regions of Bulgaria will be mixed with snow. There will be almost no precipitation in Southeast Bulgaria. In the morning hours in many places in the plains and..

published on 2/28/25 7:35 PM

Beekeepers and grain farmers call for suspension of wind farms in Dobrudzha

Bulgarian beekeepers', farmers' and grain growers' organisations have spoken out against the construction of wind turbines and photovoltaic plants on agricultural land , BNR's correspondent in Dobrich reports. Beekeepers whose hives are located..

published on 2/28/25 6:35 PM

Bulgaria gets second air ambulance

The second helicopter to provide emergency medical services by air landed in Bulgaria this afternoon, the Health Ministry said. It will be used at the HEMS regional base in the city of Sliven. The eight air medical teams that will work there have..

published on 2/28/25 6:25 PM