Religious tourism in Chepelare and its vicinity
Even if they know Bulgaria – in first-hand experience or through advertising – most foreign guests of the country are delighted to discover a wealth of cultural heritage and a wide range of artifacts from various eras scattered across the territory of the country. The mystical Rhodope Mountains are a veritable treasury in this sense. That part of Bulgaria is dotted with Christian shrines, ancient monasteries and mosques. The fans of religious tourism are frequent visitors of the resort town of Chepelare, a magnet for skiers in winter months. The vicinity of the town abounds in chapels, churches and mosques. Christianity and Islam coexist here quite peacefully, reminding of the intransient philosophical rules of life and death.
In the 1830s, while the Bulgarian lands were still under Ottoman rule, the Turkish Government provided greater religious freedoms to the local Christians. It was back then that the Rhodope Mountains saw a large-scale construction of churches on the foundations of old, are almost ruined basilicas and sanctuaries. For less than three decades a great many churches and monasteries were built in the Central Rhodopes, where the town of Chepelare lies. During the National Revival the town was a center of education and culture, and the local monasteries maintained monastic schools that kept alive Christian faith and the Bulgarian national spirit. Old churches with valuable icons can be seen in the nearby villages of Pavelsko, Hvoina and Orehovo.
However, one worthy stopover for tourists is the St. Athanasius Church in Chepelare. It was built for just 40 days with the volunteer effort of the local people. “Our forefathers were strongly motivated by the idea to have a church in the town, and so they raise charities and built the church not only with their hands but with their hearts as well”, local ethnographer Vasil Dechev writes in his memoirs. The magnificent wooden iconostasis in St. Athanasius Church was created by an anonymous artist. In the churchyard was the earliest monastic school in the area. A modest museum reveals some details about the history of the church, as well as of other churches and chapels along the Chaya River that makes its way through the meek Rhodope slopes.
“I feel as if the church is my home," Priest Stanimir Minkov says. "This atmosphere is not spoilt by time. The church has a rich history, and I can see that there is growing interest in us. Not only Bulgarian but also foreign tourists have been coming of late. They do not hide their admiration with what they see. The frescoes are remarkable, in tune with the National Revival style, and quite revealing about the mentality of Bulgarians of that time. It is quite amazing to know that the locals stinted themselves of food in order to build a church for the community.”
The guests of Chepelare often go to visit the other church in Chepelare, The Assumption. It was built and its frescoes painted in 1866. The village of Pavelsko not far from Chepelare is a recommended stopover in any religious tourism itinerary of this part of Bulgaria. The Ascension Church there dates back to 1835. It is a three-knave church with massive stone columns. In 1894 a seventeen-meter bell tower was erected in its churchyard, the highest in the Central Rhodopes. The region offers great opportunities to holidaymakers – they find good accommodation, warm hospitality and delicious homemade food in the local guesthouses. Religious tourism is mart of the colorful tourist mosaic of this part of Bulgaria blessed with breathtaking nature.
Text: bnr.bg
Photo:BGNES
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