The Bulgarian Orthodox Church marks today the Dormition of St. John of Rila (Ivan Rilski), patron saint of Bulgaria and the Bulgarian People. St. John of Rila was born around 876 in the village of Skrino located at the foot of the Osogovo Mountain. He was a contemporary of the reign of Knyaz Boris I and his son Vladimir, Tsar Simeon I the Great and his son Tsar Peter I, when Christianity was spreading across Bulgaria.
At the age of 25, St. John of Rila became a priest at St Demetrius monastery located under Ruen peak. After accepting the life of a monk, he left the monastery in order to continue his life in solitude and prayer. Later he settled in Rila and founded the Rila Monastery. He died in 946 and was buried in the small church in the Rila Monastery. St. John of Rila was canonized around 980.
On June 13, the Orthodox Church celebrates the Feast of the Ascension, when the resurrected Christ ascends into heaven. The great Christian holiday always falls on a Thursday, forty days after the Resurrection of Christ. This is also the last day when..
One of the most renowned Bulgarian poets, Atanas Dalchev, was born on June 12, 1904, in Thessaloniki, in a wealthy family living near the White Tower. His father, Hristo Dalchev, was among the most prominent Bulgarian citizens in Thessaloniki. He was a..
Bulgaria has been a member of the EU since 1 January 2007. However, Bulgaria had representatives in the European Parliament before its official membership. In 2005, the National Assembly elected 18 Bulgarian MPs who had the status of Euro observers...
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