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.
This year, the holiday of Christmas for the Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Diocese in the United States, Canada and Australia is especially exciting! Metropolitan Joseph’s long-standing prayers to have his own vicar bishop have come true. His previous..
His Holiness Daniil, Patriarch of Bulgaria and Metropolitan of Sofia, addressed the Orthodox Christians on the eve of the bright Nativity of Christ (Christmas Eve). "Silent in prayer, gathered around the warm hearth, we await the fulfilment of what was..
In anticipation of the Nativity of Christ, the Orthodox Church opens its doors for today's divine services, heralding the fulfillment of the mystery of the Incarnation. "Let us experience the Nativity of Christ during the solemn services, so..
The Arbanasi architectural reserve near Veliko Tarnovo is one of the most popular tourist destinations . The medieval monasteries and churches, including..
T he Supreme Court of Cassation has given final judgement that the Bulgarian Orthodox Old Calendar Church must be registered in the register of..
On the third day of Christmas, December 27, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church commemorates the memory of Saint Stephen, the first Christian martyr. His name..
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