Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

The Double Christ depicted on a fresco in Bulgaria's Zemen Monastery

The Double Jesus Fresco in Bulgaria's Zemen monastery
Photo: BGNES

A fresco recreating the forging of the nails for the Crucifixion can be seen in the Zemen Monastery in central Western Bulgaria. It was painted in the 14th century and is the only one of its kind, as the scene is not found in world religious painting, the Regional Administration in Pernik reports.

The frescoes in the monastery church  of St. John the Theologian trace Jesus' journey to Golgotha. An unknown artist in Bulgaria has interpreted the biblical plot "The Last Supper" in a special way, depicting Christ twice - one handing the bread and the other pouring the wine. The "double Christ" cannot be seen anywhere else, the district administration claims. 
This different interpretation makes the temple extremely valuable for world culture.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Bulgaria participates in the International Book Fair in Frankfurt

Minister of Culture Marian Bachev has opened the Bulgarian stand at the 77th Frankfurt Book Fair. The minister expressed gratitude to the organizers of the Bulgarian Book Association, the Bulgarian Cultural Institute in Berlin and..

published on 10/16/25 9:42 AM

Architectural forum in Vienna reveals Austrian influence on Bulgarian modernism

The Bulgarian Cultural Institute “Dom Wittgenstein” in Vienna presents the first edition of the “Day of Architecture” series. The event is dedicated to the mutual ties between Austria and Bulgaria in architectural modernism, the Institute announced on..

published on 10/14/25 9:27 AM
Photo: FB/Museum of Photography Kazanlak

The Museum of Photography in Kazanlak presents the best of Photo Academy 2025

The Museum of Photography Kazanlak is presenting the exhibition '' Selected''  from the 26th edition of the Photo Academy by the National Association ''Academy of Photography Yanka Kyurkchieva'', reports BTA. The exhibition will feature six..

published on 10/14/25 7:50 AM