St. John of Rila Work & Pray Youth Pilgrimage to Bulgaria
On August 7, 2012 twenty pilgrims from the Bulgarian Diocese of the U.S.A., Canada and Australia gathered in Sofia, Bulgaria, to begin a fifteen day journey with Metropolitan Joseph to some of Bulgaria’s most holy and beloved monasteries, churches and towns. This life changing period of time lifted each one out of the worldly times in which we dwell, and nourished the soul, the spirit and the heart of every one.
Our itinerary is listed below, with links to descriptions about each location. What are missing in these descriptions are the wonderful people we met, the tremendous hospitality we experienced, and the prayer and song in which we participated and the joy we experienced.
We brought with us song, for the group functioned as a choir, and sang in Church Slavonic and in English in every church we were graced to enter. The link here will give you a sample of the group’s singing as we visited the Diocese of Nevrokop.
We venerated the relics of St. John of Rila, of St. John the Baptist, of the New Martyrs of Bataak, and many more wonderful saints. We kissed miraculous icons of the Most Holy Theotokos, and of Great Martyr George in Hadjidimovo Monastery, and learned the history of the icons and holy places we visited. There were so many special people and places – the Monastery at Kilifarevo, Pomorie Monastery near the Black Sea, the choir competition in Gotche Delschev, the wonderful guides and translators from ISKONI, the lovingly held traditions—all were wrapped in an outpouring of rich Bulgarian hospitality!
The pilgrims also received the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Maxim of blessed memory, who attended the celebration of the feast of Holy Dormition at Troyan Monastery. This celebration was the crown of the trip. The pilgrim choir was invited to participate in the service, singing in the church and throughout the amazing procession with the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos. Returning in English many of the songs sung in Slavonic by the Bulgarian choir, the group also sang the Akathistos Hyms to the Most Holy Theotokos while the many thousands of people came to venerate the holy icon and be blessed with holy water. It was a tremendously joyful day.
Watch for information on the upcoming 2014 Pilgrimage – still in planning stages!
Below is a slideshow of more of the places we visited with English subtitles (left) and Bulgarian subtitles (right)!
Our itinerary is listed below, with links to descriptions about each location. What are missing in these descriptions are the wonderful people we met, the tremendous hospitality we experienced, and the prayer and song in which we participated and the joy we experienced.
We brought with us song, for the group functioned as a choir, and sang in Church Slavonic and in English in every church we were graced to enter. The link here will give you a sample of the group’s singing as we visited the Diocese of Nevrokop.
We venerated the relics of St. John of Rila, of St. John the Baptist, of the New Martyrs of Bataak, and many more wonderful saints. We kissed miraculous icons of the Most Holy Theotokos, and of Great Martyr George in Hadjidimovo Monastery, and learned the history of the icons and holy places we visited. There were so many special people and places – the Monastery at Kilifarevo, Pomorie Monastery near the Black Sea, the choir competition in Gotche Delschev, the wonderful guides and translators from ISKONI, the lovingly held traditions—all were wrapped in an outpouring of rich Bulgarian hospitality!
The pilgrims also received the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Maxim of blessed memory, who attended the celebration of the feast of Holy Dormition at Troyan Monastery. This celebration was the crown of the trip. The pilgrim choir was invited to participate in the service, singing in the church and throughout the amazing procession with the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos. Returning in English many of the songs sung in Slavonic by the Bulgarian choir, the group also sang the Akathistos Hyms to the Most Holy Theotokos while the many thousands of people came to venerate the holy icon and be blessed with holy water. It was a tremendously joyful day.
Watch for information on the upcoming 2014 Pilgrimage – still in planning stages!
Below is a slideshow of more of the places we visited with English subtitles (left) and Bulgarian subtitles (right)!
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Itinerary of the 2012 Pilgrimage
Itinerary Outline - August 7-22, 2012
Aug 7 - Arrival in Sofia
Aug 8 - Tour of Sofia, mostly churches
Aug 9 - Bachkovo Monastery - Slavovitsa - Plovdiv
Aug 10 - By the Black Sea: Sozopol - Bourgas - Nessebar
Aug 11 - Varna - Pliska - Preslav - Shumen
Aug 12 - Veliko Tarnovo - Arbanasi - Kilifarevo Monastery
Aug 13 - Tryavna - Gabrovo - Sokolski Monastery - Troyan Monastery
Aug 14 - Troyan Monastery - preparation for the monastery’s Feast.
Aug 15 - Troyan Monastery - The Dormition of The Most Holy Theotokos.
Aug 16 - Rila Monastery.
Aug 17 - Rila Monastery - preparation for the monastery’s Feast.
Aug 18 - Rila Monastery - The Dormition of St. John of Rila.
Aug 19 - The Village of Hadjidimovo - Rozhen Monastery - Melnik
Aug 20 - Sofia - Visit with the Holy Synod.
Aug 21 - Sofia - Service work project at the St Nicholas orphanage.
Aug 22 - Departure
Aug 7 - Arrival in Sofia
Aug 8 - Tour of Sofia, mostly churches
Aug 9 - Bachkovo Monastery - Slavovitsa - Plovdiv
Aug 10 - By the Black Sea: Sozopol - Bourgas - Nessebar
Aug 11 - Varna - Pliska - Preslav - Shumen
Aug 12 - Veliko Tarnovo - Arbanasi - Kilifarevo Monastery
Aug 13 - Tryavna - Gabrovo - Sokolski Monastery - Troyan Monastery
Aug 14 - Troyan Monastery - preparation for the monastery’s Feast.
Aug 15 - Troyan Monastery - The Dormition of The Most Holy Theotokos.
Aug 16 - Rila Monastery.
Aug 17 - Rila Monastery - preparation for the monastery’s Feast.
Aug 18 - Rila Monastery - The Dormition of St. John of Rila.
Aug 19 - The Village of Hadjidimovo - Rozhen Monastery - Melnik
Aug 20 - Sofia - Visit with the Holy Synod.
Aug 21 - Sofia - Service work project at the St Nicholas orphanage.
Aug 22 - Departure