Monastery of St. Stephen

Overview

St. Stephen's Monastery is located on the right side of the German River on the Dzhuganitsa ridge (meaning a place for falcons) in northwestern Rila, about 3 km southeast of the town of Sapareva Banya. It was founded during the Second Bulgarian State. The monastery is reported in a Turkish court act of June 26, 1750, called "Svetovitsa or Stoitsa." It states that "when our country was conquered by Islam, our monastery served as a church-religious home." It therefore existed before the Turkish enslavement. " It also functioned during Turkish slavery, when it was set on fire several times. He was visited by numerous detachments of outlaws, as well as by the Bulgarian national revolutionary Vasil Levski. During this period, the number of monasteries in the monastery reached 30, and the monastery was not only a center of banditry, but also a center of literary activity, led by the Rila Monastery. This is indicated by the name of the place Dyak nad Obesen kamik, where in the former church "St. Spirit "children" (deacons - church ministers) copied old church books. In the "Silver" area there was a defensive tower with bells, which in case of danger of attacks it signaled in order to protect the monastery. It was rebuilt in 1924 by the grandfather of priest Teodosi Mladzhov, according to OIM-Kyustendil. The family from Dupnitsa, who helped build in memory of their son, who died during the First World War, is also mentioned as a restorer. The icons were placed during the time of Exarch Stefan in 1927. Near the Monastery is located the spring, under the river terrace with healing water.