Looking for Orthodox Monks on Bulgaria’s Holiest Mountain 🇧🇬 | Rila Monastery

Описание: 🏔️ Looking for Orthodox Monks on Bulgaria’s Holiest Mountain 🇧🇬 | Rila Monastery

Before coming to Bulgaria, I expected Rila Monastery to just be another “beautiful church in the mountains”…
but I didn’t expect the level of peace I’d feel there.

Surrounded by deep forests, fresh mountain air, and centuries of Orthodox history, I ended up visiting one of the most sacred places in the Balkans — Bulgaria’s Rila Monastery.

In this video, I take a guided trip from Sofia, learn the deep story behind Bulgaria’s Orthodox roots, explore Boyana Church, experience monastery life, walk through the cemetery, try traditional monastery food, and search for Orthodox monks living in isolation in the mountains.

This wasn’t just a tourist stop…
It felt like stepping into another world.

⏰ TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 INTRO: Getting on the GetYourGuide bus to go to the Rila Monastery
00:31 Tour Guide Lessons
01:46 Boyana Church
03:12 Inside of Boyana Church Opinions
04:11 St Nicholas Icon Paintings
05:01 Tour Guide Bulgarian History Lessons
07:01 Arrived at Rila Monastery
07:54 Rila Monastery Guided Tour
14:52 Exploring Rila Monastery
16:45 Naturemaxxing
19:15 Rila Monastery Cemetery
20:57 Traditional Bulgarian Food - Monastery Bread + Buffalo Yogurt
23:21 Rila Monastery Church
28:28 Souvenirs - Bulgarian Magnets, Painting
29:02 OUTRO

⛪ Places & Experiences in this Video:

🏛️ Rila Monastery – Bulgaria’s most important Orthodox monastery, founded in the 10th century and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

⛪ Boyana Church – A medieval church famous for its unique 13th-century frescoes, considered some of the best preserved in Eastern Europe.

🖌️ St. Nicholas Icon Paintings – Detailed Orthodox iconography that reflects Bulgaria’s deep religious traditions.

⚰️ Rila Monastery Cemetery – A peaceful, mountainous burial ground for monks and religious figures.

🍞 Monastery Bread & Buffalo Yogurt – Traditional food sold by the monastery, made using local methods.

🛍️ Bulgarian Souvenirs – Local magnets, icon paintings and handcrafted items sold inside the monastery complex.

🤯 Rila Monastery & Bulgaria Facts:

• Rila Monastery was founded in the 10th century by Saint Ivan of Rila and is considered Bulgaria’s spiritual centre.
• It survived Ottoman rule and became a symbol of Bulgarian national identity and resistance.
• The monastery sits at an altitude of over 1,100 meters in the Rila Mountains.
• Rila Mountain is home to the highest peak in the Balkans — Musala (2,925m).
• Monks still live and worship here today, following a lifestyle of isolation and prayer.
• The frescoes inside the monastery are some of the most detailed and important Orthodox artworks in Southeastern Europe.

🌍✈️🌍✈️🌍✈️🌍✈️🌍✈️🌍✈️🌍✈️🌍✈️🌍✈️🌍

MY WEBSITE: urimate.com

ABOUT ME
My name is Máté, I’m a 23-year-old Christian & family-friendly travel YouTuber, documenting my journey through Eastern Europe & beyond for English speakers and Korean viewers learning English 🇧🇬✝️🇰🇷
Faith, travel, culture & real life.

Got feedback on the video? Let me know in the comments — I always read them and improve from your suggestions 🙏

📧 For collaborations or anything else:
[email protected]

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#Bulgaria #RilaMonastery #Orthodox #EasternEurope #UriMate #BulgariaTravel #christian