Every autumn, the Bulgarian community in Athens gathers to honor its heavenly patron – St. John of Rila the Wonderworker. Traditionally, we observe his feast on October 19, and when that day falls on a weekday, we move the central celebration to the first following Sunday so that we may all be together in church.
This year, however, the occasion is truly special. We mark 1080 years since the dormition of the saint and approach the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Bulgarian church community at the Church of the "Venerable St. John of Rila the Wonderworker" in Athens. On this occasion, we decided to transform the annual commemoration into a broader, shared initiative uniting our entire community, as well as the children and teachers of Bulgarian schools across Greece and abroad.
The events of the "Days of St. John of Rila in Athens" are designed to encompass all age groups and educational levels through diverse activities—from kindergarten children to university professors and researchers. Because Bulgaria’s most beloved saint is also deeply revered in Greece—where his holy right hand is treasured on the island of Tinos—Bulgarians and Greeks will, for the first time, share this commemoration in a common spiritual and cultural space.
All "young iconographers and artists" in the art contest, the "young translators" in the literary competition, and the researchers at the academic forum will receive official certificates of participation. We invite you to explore the guidelines via the links below and register your participation!
GENERAL FRAMEWORK OF THE CELEBRATIONS
Occasion: 1080 years since the dormition of St. John of Rila the Wonderworker and 20 years since the founding of the Bulgarian church community in Athens.
Dates: October 22 – 25, 2026.
Main Venues:
National Press Club of BTA in Athens (art, literary, and academic program).
Bulgarian Orthodox Church "St. John of Rila the Wonderworker", Agioi Anargyroi (church and community program).
Working Languages for Presentations: Bulgarian, Greek, English.
DETAILED PROGRAM AND EVENTS
PART I: CULTURE, LITERATURE, AND SCIENCE
(Venue: National Press Club of BTA in Athens, 14 Andrea Syngrou Ave., 6th floor)
October 22, 2026 (Thursday) – Festive Art and Literary Evening
17:00 – Opening of the Exhibition "St. John of Rila Through the Eyes of Children"
Participants: Young artists and creators aged 6 to 18.
Presentation of the artworks from the international contest and presentation of awards and certificates to the children.
🔗 [Link to guidelines and entry form for the children's art contest]
18:00 – Literary Readings and Award Ceremony
Participants: Young translators (students aged 16–18 and university students).
Announcement of results from the translation contest "St. John of Rila in the World of Literature and Translation." Public bilingual readings (in Bulgarian and Greek) of the awarded texts.
🔗 [Link to guidelines and entry form for the translation contest]
October 23, 2026 (Friday) – International Academic Forum
("St. John of Rila and the Ascetics of the Spirit Beyond Borders" – in-person and online)
Context: The figure of the saint as a spiritual bridge between nations – from his first hagiography (Life) written in Greek to his image engraved on the Bulgarian 1-euro coin.
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM | ACADEMIC SESSION: Panels covering the physical space of asceticism, monastic networks, theology, philology, and art. Participants include researchers, PhD students, and academic scholars.
5:00 PM – 7:00 PM | PROJECT SESSION: Sharing of good educational practices. Our idea is to dedicate a special space for the initiatives of schools (in Bulgaria and abroad) bearing the name of St. John of Rila, and to create a vibrant collaborative network among them.
🔗 [Link to Call for Papers, deadlines (until 15.10.2026), and registration for the academic forum]
PART II: CHURCH PROGRAM AND COMMUNITY CELEBRATION
(Venue: Bulgarian Orthodox Church "St. John of Rila the Wonderworker", Athens)
October 24, 2026 (Saturday) – Feast Eve
Evening – Festive Hierarchical Vespers
Participants: Hierarchs and representatives of the Bulgarian and Greek Orthodox Churches, clergy, parishioners, and pilgrims.
Prayer entry into the heart of the patronal celebration.
October 25, 2026 (Sunday) – Feast Day and Public Celebration
Morning – Festive Hierarchical Divine Liturgy
Following the Liturgy – Community Celebration
Participants: Teachers and pupils of Bulgarian Sunday Schools in Greece, cultural associations, the "Athens Snowdrops" choir, parents, and guests.
A rich cultural, artistic, and educational program presented by the Bulgarian schools to bring the feast to life and hand down the spiritual testament to future generations.
🔗 [Link to the detailed liturgical and church schedule]
Rev. Stefan STEFANOV – Parish Priest of the Church of "St. John of Rila the Wonderworker" in Athens (Coordinator of the church program)
Gencho BANEV – Lecturer of Bulgarian Language, Literature, and Culture at the University of Athens & Researcher at Sofia University (Events Coordinator and Organizer of the academic program and translation competition)
Ivan LAZAROV – Correspondent of the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) in Athens
Maya LUNGOLOVA – President of the "Ivan Seliminski" Cultural Center and Head of the "Vasil Levski" Bulgarian Sunday School
Yulia KOSTOVA – Director of the "Paisiy Hilendarski" Bulgarian Sunday School
Tanya GATEVA – Director of the "ABV Learning Academy" Bulgarian School
Mimi NICHEVA – Director of the "Sts. Cyril and Methodius" Bulgarian Sunday School
Plamen SIMEONOV – Teacher at the "Sts. Cyril and Methodius" Bulgarian Sunday School (Coordinator of the festive school program)
Dr. Alexander SMOCHEVSKI – Theologian, Advisor on Canonical and Legal Affairs to the Patriarch of Bulgaria, lecturer at the Department of Theology at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (coordinator on behalf of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church)