On the Eve of Easter - "Miraculous Icons and Holy Relics of the Balkans" were Opened in Asenovgrad
On April 12, at the invitation and initiative of the History Museum in Asenovgrad, the mobile exhibition "Miraculous Icons and Holy Relics of the Balkans” was opened in the space of the Ancient School "St. George". The exhibition, realized by a team of researchers from the Center for Slavic-Byzantine Studies "Prof. Ivan Duychev" at Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski" and the State Institute for Culture to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, also visited on an important occasion - the celebration of the 940th anniversary of the founding of Bachkovo Monastery, which houses a miraculous icon of the Holy Virgin.
The monastery, which the great domestic of the West Grigoriy Bakuriani created in 1083, was for centuries a fortress, sacrum and horizon for the city and its region and as such influenced its socio-economic, spiritual and cultural development.
"The exhibition enjoys the interest of its connoisseurs in various cities of the Balkans, in our country and around the world, it is an important tool for cultural diplomacy from the Institute's program and shows the role of Orthodoxy in our regions", said the director of the State Institute for Culture Snezhna Joveva-Dimitrova at the opening. Prof. Vasya Velinova, director of the Center for Slavic-Byzantine Studies "Prof. Ivan Duychev" presented the project of the exhibition and its contribution to science and emphasized the three miraculous icons from the Asenovgrad region - "St. Mother of God Vlacherniotis", the icon "St. Virgin" (Eleusis) from the church "St. The Virgin - Annunciation" and "St. Mother of God" (Golden Apple) from "St. Bogoroditsa - Uspenie" in Gorni Voden quarter. This fact alone is indicative of the powerful spiritual influence of Bachkovo Monastery in the region.
The official guests were Dr. Hristo Grudev, Mayor of Asenovgrad, Eng. Petar Petrov, Deputy Mayor, Ivan Dukov, Director of the History Museum in Asenovgrad, Mina Hristemova, curator at the History museum and chief co-ordinator of the exhibition, Prof. Vasya Velinova, Snezhana Yoveva-Dimitrova, director of the State Institute for Culture, clergy from the region, media and guests of Asenovgrad.
On 24 panels, churches and monasteries are presented, in which miraculous icons and holy relics are kept, and the fascinating story is accompanied by photos. This narrative includes a brief historical reference for each monastery, data on the icons and holy relics surrounded by the aura of miraculousness, as well as on the customs and holidays through which they are honored, as well as a reading of the phenomenon of tangible divine revelation in Eastern Orthodoxy - the icon.
Special guests at the event were the "Holy Annunciation" choir of "St. Ivan Rilski", who with their chants helped the visitors to experience the mystical world of the miraculous icon and brought them closer to the day of the bright Resurrection of Christ.