Chirpan Monastery St. Athanasius

The Chirpan monastery St. Athanasius has a history of almost 1700 years. According to some researchers this is the first monastery founded on Bulgarian land and the Europe’s oldest one operating. During its millenary history the monastery was destroyed and rose again lots of times. Probably it was constructed in the year 344 by St. Athanasius the Great. After closing the church synod in Serdika he left for the capital Constantinople to go back to his residence in Alexandria, Egypt. On his way he stopped and had a sleep in a Roman fortress, the remains of which are located close to the monastery. St. Athanasius decide to found the monastery as in the district of Beroe (today Stara Zagora) the Christians were persecution and suppressed. After his death in 373 the monastery was name after the Saint. People tell a number of legends about the Saint and the monastery, and the holy spring attracting a lot of believers. The Apostle of Freedom Vassil Levski is believed to have visited the monastery. Nowadays, on May 2 – the holiday of the monastery, few thousand people come here each year.