Rila Monastery Hosts Day 2 of International Cyrillic Forum

Tatiana Marinova, BTA correspondent Desislava Velkova

Bulgarian Patriarch and Metropolitan of Sofia Daniil (left) and President Iliana Iotova at the opening of the second part of the Third International Cyrillic Forum at Rila Monastery, March 26, 2026 (BTA Photo)

Rila Monastery, Southwestern Bulgaria,

26.03.2026 12:04

(BTA)

The second part of the Third International Cyrillic Forum on "Cultural Heritage in the Digital Age", organized by President Iliana Iotova, began at the Rila Monastery on Thursday. The two-day forum is held under the auspices of the National Commission of Bulgaria for UNESCO, with the assistance of the Ministry of Education and Science and the support of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.

On Thursday morning, the Bulgarian Patriarch and Metropolitan of Sofia Daniil was welcomed in the holy cloister, where he paid homage at the relics of Saint John of Rila (876–946), marking 1,080 years since the Saint’s passing.

President Iotova also arrived at the monastery for the forum, which brings together representatives of the clergy and academia, including scholars from the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and Bulgarian universities, as well as distinguished speakers from abroad.

Attending the event are Metropolitan Seraphim of Nevrokop, and Bulgarian News Agency Director General Kiril Valchev. The participants were welcomed by the Hegumen of the Rila Monastery, Bishop Evlogii of Adrianople.

At the opening of the third panel, its moderator Vasya Velinova expressed, on her own behalf and on behalf of the forum’s organizers, participants and guests, gratitude to Bishop Evlogii for the opportunity to hold the closing session in the Icon Gallery of the Rila Monastery. “At first glance, the focus of today’s session is turned to the past, but I would venture to say that it is actually dedicated to memory, which is the unique human ability to resist time and oblivion,” Velinova said.

The first part of the forum took place at the National Palace of Culture (NDK) in Sofia on Wednesday.

/NF/