Rila Monastery was founded in the 10th century by St John of Rila, a hermit canonized by the Orthodox Church. His ascetic dwelling and tomb became a holy site and were transformed into a monastic ...

Carved right into the rock, up on a cliffside or overlooking the valley from atop a rocky promontory... In the Balkans, from ...

The main holy place of Bulgaria is Rila Monastery at which the relics of Venerable John (Ivan; c. 876-c. 946), the Wonderworker of Rila and patron-saint of this Orthodox country, rest. Rila Monastery ...

Nestled in mountain forests an hour and a half south of Sofia, the Rila Monastery is Bulgaria’s most popular tourist destination. It is the country’s largest and most famous Eastern Orthodox ...

It doesn’t take long for tourists fresh off the Sofia tarmac to hear about day trips to Rila Monastery Nature Park, located within Rila National Park. Bulgarians are proud of the UNESCO ...

Rila Monastery was founded in the 10th century by St John of Rila, a hermit canonized by the Orthodox Church. His ascetic dwelling and tomb became a holy site and were transformed into a monastic ...