Medieval rock monastery - the village of Krepcha

Overview

The rock monastery near Krepcha is the most significant medieval monument in the whole Popovsko-Opachenski region of Targovishte region. It is carved into the limestone rocks, located 2 km from the center of the village, to the right of the road to the village of Golyamo Gradishte. The monastery complex itself, together with the cells of the hermit monks is located on three levels on the rock crown. In addition to cells, it also includes a monastery church and a tomb church. On the walls of the churches and cells there are engraved Cyrillic, Hebrew letters and runic signs and drawings. According to scholars, two old Bulgarian inscriptions found on its walls represent the EARLIEST CYRILLIC INSCRIPTIONS IN THE WORLD !!! One of them is dated and dates back to the time of Tsar Simeon the Great. What is preserved by him reads: "In the year 921, in October, the servant of God Anton died ...". The other, much better preserved inscription, which has no specific date, reads: “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Here rests the righteous Father Anthony. †. And whoever made a granary in the church to answer before God. The unworthy Mikhail wrote. Amen. "

The inscriptions are located in the high part of the rock, in the church - a tomb, where there is still no built access, so they can not be seen by visitors. They can be seen in photos on the information board in the rock church.