A chapel bearing the name of St. Ivan of Rila has now been built in Malyovitsa. People from the local community, together with the managers of the resort complex, raised the small house of prayer, named in honor of the heavenly patron saint of the Bulgarians.

The chapel was consecrated by His Eminence Metropolitan Antoniy, and an official guest was also Father Nikanor – abbot of the Tsarnogorski Monastery.

“To build a храм is a great deed, because those who have undertaken this initiative have written their names in the Book of Life. That book is not subject to time or events, but the book written by our Creator and Maker Himself. In times of испытания this year, all of us need someone who can unite us, someone who can bring us together, someone who can give us hope and trust in a better future,” said His Eminence Metropolitan Antoniy during the consecration of the chapel. In his address, he noted that we should be joyful and grateful that today we are here to bow before this modest, yet great in significance, chapel.

He expressed gratitude on behalf of His Holiness the Bulgarian Patriarch Neofit and the diocesan council. His Eminence Metropolitan Antoniy also thanked the donors for this great gift and gesture to all believing Bulgarians. “The consecration of a chapel is a shared work of the entire people,” he added.

Many official guests attended the consecration ceremony, including representatives of the National Assembly and local authorities.