Two hours by train from Sofia and one reaches the town of Boboshevo on the two banks of the Struma River at the foot of the Vlahina Mountain. The village of Skrino is nearby. It is where in 876 the heavenly patron of Bulgaria – St. Ivan Rilski was born. This is so not only according to local legends but also according to the ancient book presenting his life, described by Saint Euthymius of Tarnovo.

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We go along the river, with its banks with blossoming flowers. Vlahina Mountain is especially beautiful and fragrant in spring. The trail takes us to the Krusta (“The Cross”) area, where a stunning view is revealed before one’s eyes. A steep trail that reaches the Ruen Peak starts nearby. The trail is not easy, but offers more stunning views of the surrounding mountains. The path to the top was marked by Lyubcho Karadzhov, a local man who takes care of the maintenance of some of the holy places in the region. He places Orthodox crosses and Bulgarian flags on sites linked to the history of Bulgaria. We find Lyubcho in front of the cave where Ivan Rilski once lived. One reaches the cave after a five-minute walk from the Cross Area. Lyubcho told us about the local legends related to the life of the saint.

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Ivan Rilski became famous for many miracles, helping people in need, healing people from serious illnesses. In the mid-30s of the 10th century he created the Rila monastery, now the largest religious center in Bulgaria.

The Ruen Monastery, which today bears the name of Saint Ivan Rilski, is located just meters down the path from the cave. Local people say that this is one of the first Bulgarian monasteries built after the Christianization of the Bulgarian nation by Knyaz Boris I. The monastery is also famous as an old literary center, in which in 1743 a school was established.

English: Al.exander Markov