One of the most important autumn Christian holidays is Archangel's Day, dedicated to Saint Michael the Archangel and Archangels Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Selaphiel, Jegudiel and Barachiel.
In the Orthodox tradition, we celebrate their day on November 8 as the Feast of St. Archangel Michael, leader of the heavenly hosts and angelic hierarchies who defeated the forces of darkness.
According to the Church, angels are God's messengers and executors of His will. In Orthodox iconography, they are depicted in snow-white clothes and with wings - a symbol of the speed with which they fulfill God's commands and take an active part in the salvation of human souls. During baptism, every Christian receives a guardian angel who guides them and protects them from evil.
In churches, the image of St. Archangel Michael, with a spear in his hand, trampling the devil, occupies a central place, along with the icons of Jesus Christ, the Mother of God and John the Baptist. Because of the key place he occupies in the Heavenly Hierarchy, he is considered the patron of those fighting for a just cause and the protector of all Christians from dark forces.
In the vicinity of Sofia and the surrounding areas, there are nearly a dozen monasteries dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel. Among them is the Chekotin Monastery, which is located about 15 kilometers away from the town of Pravets. It was founded at the end of the 12th century and is connected with the history of the nearby Urvich fortress, which is located just 4 km away. It has been destroyed and rebuilt several times over the years, but today it is active and attracts visitors with its beautiful architecture and remarkable murals.
We learn more interesting details about the monastery from Priest Mihail in an interview with Svetlana Dimitrova.
St. Archangel Michael monastery of Chekotin – a little-known gem
See also:
Compiled by: Darina Grigorova
English: Al. Markov
Photos: library, BGNES
After the great Lord's feast of the Assumption of the Theotokos, the Nativity of the Mother of God is held in special honor in Bulgaria. The Bulgarian Orthodox Church celebrates it on September 8, together with the Greek Orthodox Church, and the other..
The findings from the archaeological excavations of Kozareva mound - a settlement from the 5th millennium BC , became a real sensation already in 2014, when they were presented to the general public for the first time. Among the exquisite exhibits of..
On September 6, 1885, Bulgaria again became a unified state. In an interview with Radio Bulgaria, history professor from Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski" Ivan Ilchev tells us more about the factors that led to the Unification, when the..
The National History Museum celebrates the 130th anniversary of the birth of Tsar Boris III with the exhibition "Tsar Boris III. Personality and..
Mostly Cloudy
Partly Cloudy