Ruen Monastery
Encyclopedia
The Ruen Monastery St John of Rila is a Bulgaria
n Orthodox monastery
part of the Dupnitsa vicarage of the Sofia eparchy of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church
. It is situated near the village of Skrino
, municipality of Boboshevo
, Kyustendil Province
.
between Sofia
and Kulata
, at 2,5 km to the north of the village of Skrino
- the birth place of John of Rila
. The monastery was restored over the ruins of the old church in 1999. A path from the monastery leads to the cave where Saint John of Rila first began with his hermitage.
The monastery was named after the most famous Bulgarian
saint, John of Rila (876-946), patron of the Bulgarian people and founder of the Rila Monastery
- the largest stauropegic monastery
in Bulgaria
. He lived during the reign of Boris I
, Simeon I
and Peter I
during the First Bulgarian Empire
.
The day of the saint is celebrated on 19 October.
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n Orthodox monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
part of the Dupnitsa vicarage of the Sofia eparchy of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church
Bulgarian Orthodox Church
The Bulgarian Orthodox Church - Bulgarian Patriarchate is an autocephalous Eastern Orthodox Church with some 6.5 million members in the Republic of Bulgaria and between 1.5 and 2.0 million members in a number of European countries, the Americas and Australia...
. It is situated near the village of Skrino
Skrino
Skrino is a village in the municipality of Boboshevo, Kyustendil Province, western Bulgaria.- History :Skrino is known under the same name since the 9th century. It was the birth place of Saint John of Rila, the patron of the Bulgarian people. The Ruen Monastery is situated nearby.- Honour :Skrino...
, municipality of Boboshevo
Boboshevo
Boboshevo is a town in Western Bulgaria. It is located in Kyustendil Province and is close to the towns of Kocherinovo and Rila.The town of Boboshevo is situated around to the south of Sofia and from Bulgaria's prime skiing destination, Bansko...
, Kyustendil Province
Kyustendil Province
-Religion:Religious adherence in the province according to 2001 census:-Language:Mother tongues in the province according to 2001 census:* 153,242 Bulgarian * 7,929 Roma * 1363 others and unspecified -Ethnic groups:...
.
Location, history, architectural and artistic features
The monastery is situated in a beautiful countryside near the small town of Boboshevo at around 8 km to the west of the European route E79European route E79
European route E 79 is a road part of the International E-road network. It begins in Miskolc, Hungary and ends in Thessaloniki, Greece, also running through Romania and Bulgaria...
between Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
and Kulata
Kulata
Kulata is a village in Petrich municipality, Blagoevgrad Province, in southwestern Bulgaria. it has 892 inhabitants and the mayor is Dimitar Manolev. The village is a major border checkpoint on the border with Greece...
, at 2,5 km to the north of the village of Skrino
Skrino
Skrino is a village in the municipality of Boboshevo, Kyustendil Province, western Bulgaria.- History :Skrino is known under the same name since the 9th century. It was the birth place of Saint John of Rila, the patron of the Bulgarian people. The Ruen Monastery is situated nearby.- Honour :Skrino...
- the birth place of John of Rila
John of Rila
Saint John of Rila was the first Bulgarian hermit. He was revered as a saint while he was still alive. The legend surrounding him tells of wild animals that freely came up to him and birds that landed in his hands. His followers founded many churches in his honor, including the famous Rila...
. The monastery was restored over the ruins of the old church in 1999. A path from the monastery leads to the cave where Saint John of Rila first began with his hermitage.
The monastery was named after the most famous Bulgarian
Bulgarians
The Bulgarians are a South Slavic nation and ethnic group native to Bulgaria and neighbouring regions. Emigration has resulted in immigrant communities in a number of other countries.-History and ethnogenesis:...
saint, John of Rila (876-946), patron of the Bulgarian people and founder of the Rila Monastery
Rila Monastery
The Monastery of Saint Ivan of Rila, better known as the Rila Monastery is the largest and most famous Eastern Orthodox monastery in Bulgaria. It is situated in the southwestern Rila Mountains, south of the capital Sofia in the deep valley of the Rilska River at an elevation of above sea level...
- the largest stauropegic monastery
Stauropegic
Stauropegic, also rendered stavropegic, stauropegial, or stavropegial is a title or description applied to Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Christian monasteries subordinated directly to a Patriarch or Synod, rather than to their local Bishop...
in Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
. He lived during the reign of Boris I
Boris I of Bulgaria
Boris I, also known as Boris-Mihail and Bogoris was the Knyaz of First Bulgarian Empire in 852–889. At the time of his baptism in 864, Boris was named Michael after his godfather, Emperor Michael III...
, Simeon I
Simeon I of Bulgaria
Simeon I the Great ruled over Bulgaria from 893 to 927, during the First Bulgarian Empire. Simeon's successful campaigns against the Byzantines, Magyars and Serbs led Bulgaria to its greatest territorial expansion ever, making it the most powerful state in contemporary Eastern Europe...
and Peter I
Peter I of Bulgaria
Peter I was emperor of Bulgaria from 27 May 927 to 969.-Early reign:Peter I was the son of Simeon I of Bulgaria by his second marriage to Maria Sursuvul, the sister of George Sursuvul. Peter had been born early in the 10th century, but it appears that his maternal uncle was very influential at...
during the First Bulgarian Empire
First Bulgarian Empire
The First Bulgarian Empire was a medieval Bulgarian state founded in the north-eastern Balkans in c. 680 by the Bulgars, uniting with seven South Slavic tribes...
.
The day of the saint is celebrated on 19 October.