site.btaRila Miracle Worker Pilgrimage Trail Opens as Part of Nationwide Faith-Based Tourism Initiative
The Rila Miracle Worker pilgrimage trail was officially opened near the chapel of St. John of Rila in Vitosha Mountain. This trail, now in its 16th year, is the first fully established route in the broader national initiative, On the Path of Faith, which aims to create a network of pilgrimage routes across Bulgaria. Prof. Pavel Pavlov, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Theology at Sofia University, emphasized that the trail - spanning about 120 km through Vitosha, Verila, and Rila mountains - leads to the Rila Monastery, where the relics of Bulgaria’s patron saint, St. John of Rila, are kept.
A five-day pilgrimage along the route will begin on August 1 with a service at the Sofia Church of St. Sofia.
Pavlov noted the importance of involving future generations in this spiritual journey, and outlined plans to expand the network to include major monasteries like Bachkovo and Troyan, as well as routes along the Black Sea and other sacred locations near major cities. The ultimate goal is for anyone to be able to take "small steps on the path of faith" year-round.
The chapel of St. John of Rila, where the Monday event was held, marks a site believed to have sheltered the saint’s relics during their return from Tarnovo to Rila in 1469. A new information board and symbolic “blessing hand” logo now stand at the site, with 30 more signs planned nationwide in collaboration with the Bulgarian Tourist Union (BTU) and environmental authorities.
The initiative, under the patronage of President Rumen Radev and with the blessing of Patriarch Daniil, is organized by the BTU, Sofia University’s Faculty of Theology, and the Sofia City Hall.
In a message read by presidential advisor Plamen Slavov, President Radev praised the effort as a modern continuation of Bulgaria’s spiritual and historical traditions, and a means to strengthen national identity and cultural tourism.
The event was attended by representatives from government ministries, local authorities, the Orthodox Church, the President’s office, and diplomats. BTU Chair Venislav Venev highlighted the organization’s historic roots and invited the public to attend the 130th anniversary of the Union on August 27 in front of the Ivan Vazov National Theatre.
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