Bulgarian President Iliana Yotova visits Bachkovo Monastery

Bulgarian President Iliana Yotova visited the Bachkovo Monastery on August 23, 2026, to mark the conclusion of the 12th Iconography Exhibition. She was received by the Abbot, Bishop Sionios of Veliki, and the Mayor of Asenovgrad, Dr. Hristo Groudev.

During the visit, Bishop Sionios guided the President through the cathedral, presenting the miraculous icon of the Panagia of Bachkovo and the relics of Saint Patriarch Evtimiy of Tarnovo. The President emphasized the role of ecclesiastical art in preserving Bulgaria’s spiritual and national identity.

As a commemorative gift, the President was presented with the ‘Bachkovo Charter,’ a document dedicated to the feast of the relics of Saint Patriarch Evtimiy, written in both the Glagolitic and Cyrillic alphabets. In return, the exhibition's president, Elena Digmbouska, presented the monastery with an icon of the Baptism of Christ and a carved medal of the Prophet Elijah.