The Anniversary of the Rila Miracle Maker Pilgrimage was Accompanied by a Solemn Ceremony

From August 1 to August 6, 2019 the 10th anniversary pilgrimage The Rila Miracle Maker – the biggest one on the Balkans, took place. 2019 marks 10 years since the beginning of the renewed pilgrimage and 550 years since the return of the relics of St. John of Rila to Rila Monastery. The event is organized by the Faculty of Theology at Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski with the blessing of the Holy Metropolis of Sofia and with the cooperation of Sofia Tourism Administration, Sofia Municipality. Every year, more and more pilgrims from Sofia, the country and abroad take part in it. This year, too, they passed through the picturesque Vitosha, Verila and Rila mountains and were welcomed everywhere by the locals who greeted them with a warm and meatless meal. In 2019, for the first time it was raining during the pilgrimage but despite this over 200 people (including a lot of children) set off from St Sophia Church in Sofia. A group of 30 young people from Spiritual and Educational Center „St. Archangel Michael at Varna and Veliki Preslav Eparchy joined the pilgrims in Belchin. On August 4, 2019 a Divine Liturgy was held at St Dimitar Church in Klisura and on August 5 – a blessing of water was held at Kidney (Babreka) Lake. Then, His Holiness Adrianople Bishop Evlogiy and the Brotherhood of Rila Holy Monastery welcomed the pilgrims in the largest temple in Bulgaria. On Transfiguration of Jesus, the pilgrims attended the solemn liturgy, took Communion and visited the grave of St. John of Rila, where an Akathist was sung. It rained during the first 4 days of the pilgrimage – a sign that the believers’ tracks will not be erased and there will always be pilgrims there. Thus, Sofia will always be spiritually connected with the largest temple on the Balkans – Rila Monastery. We are awaiting you to join us again next year.