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.
Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski is to play host to more than 300 scholars from all over the world at the traditional international conference of the European Association of Biblical studies. The forum is to take place at the rectorate of the..
The big marble statue found recently in the ancient town of Heraclea Sintica has been moved to the History Museum in Petrich. Archaeologists make new significant discovery in Heraclea Sintica Heraclea Sintica reveals more of its ancient..
"Late Medieval Bulgarian Clothing and Armour" is the name of the new permanent exhibition at the Baba Vida Fortress in the town of Vidin on the Danube. Visitors can see the clothing, armour and accoutrements of the late Middle Ages in the Bulgarian..
On the road leading from Sofia to Samokov upstream the Iskar River near the big picturesque bend between the former villages of Kokalyane and Pasarel at..
On July 27, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church and people glorify the work of the seven saints- the holy brothers Cyril and Methodius, and..
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