St.St. Theodor Tyron & Theodor Stratilat church - the village of Dobarsko

The village of Dobarsko is located some 17 km away from Razlog, on the southern slope of the holy Rila mountain. According to the local legend, the first inhabitants of the place were the soldiers from the army of Tsar Samuil, who were blinded by the Byzantine ruler Basil II after the battle at Kleidion (Belasitsa) in 1014. They were on their way to the Rila monastery but could not make it to there because of the fiercely cold weather. When they arrived in the region of Dobarsko, they were amazed by the healing powers of the water that sprang and still springs in the churchyard of St. Theodor Tyron & Theodor Stratiat, which cured their eyes. The legend continues, telling that the magic waters in the yard of the church had healed the eyes of another great Bulgarian man – St. Clement Ohridski. These interesting stories are depicted in the murals inside the church, the most amazing one being the mural of Jesus Christ in a space rocket. The church was built in 1614, and was restored in 1978. It figures on UNESCO’s world heritage list.