Raduil

The valley of Kostenets is located on the eastern side of the Rila Mountains, not far from the ski resort of Borovets. In contrast to the valley of Malovitsa on the western side of the resort, this valley is not frequently visited. The capital of the valley is the city of Kostenets, a few kilometers from which lies a beautiful waterfall in a ravine (Kostenets Waterfall) that inspired the national poet Ivan Vazov. A few kilometers west is the town of Dolna Banya, which has hot springs and several local spa centers. At the end of the valley are the villages of Maritsa and Raduil.

One of the unusual features of these villages is the number of chapels surrounding them. In the mountains and forests nearby, there are thirteen chapels used by the locals, in addition to the churches within the villages themselves. No one knows the origin or reason for this tradition. It is very possible that the area was once home to a concentration of hermit monks, similar to the monk Ivan Rilski on the other side of the mountains. The number 13 suggests that there may have been a laura (a center of hermit monks), as it was common throughout the Christian world to establish new monastic communities with 12 or 13 monks.

Another possibility is that the area around Raduil was a settlement of Bogomil Perfects who lived in caves in the canyons. We know of Bogomil groups who served in Tsar Samuel’s army, and that Raduil was a place of gathering and military preparation for his decisive battle at the Gates of Trajan. Armies usually camped in places with a strong civilian support base and available supplies—such as flocks of sheep for food. To this day, Raduil is known for its large herds that graze in the mountains. It’s possible, then, that the village began as a Bogomil community, with 13 cells or places of Perfects surrounding it.

The beauty of Raduil lies in its location at the confluence of two rivers: the Ibar River, which begins at the summit of Mount Ibar, and the Maritsa River, which begins at the summit of Mount Musala. These two rivers meet in the heart of the village and begin their long journey (500 km) to the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. In other words, Raduil lies at the foot of the highest mountain in the Balkans, where two rivers burst forth from the Rila Mountains through magnificent canyons. In the walls of these canyons are caves, likely used by monks in ancient times. These monks may have been Bogomil Perfects, who dedicated themselves to divine connection, and they were the ones who informed Samuel’s army that the valley was free of enemies, allowing them to settle there in safety.

From the village, several routes lead to the 13 chapels. These are small and beautiful buildings, typically located deep in the forest and used for personal prayer. All the chapels are open and maintained, and one can simply enter and find a moment of silence—though a local guide is needed to locate them. One of the most beautiful elements found there is woodwork by the artist Vilan Zakaria from the Elenite restaurant.

In the center of Raduil stands a new church, where you can also find woodwork by Vilan, especially the iconostasis. At the edge of the village is the old church, with paintings from 150 years ago by artists from the Samokov School of Painting. On the hill above the village is an inactive monastery, built in honor of a miracle that occurred during the First World War. A group of soldiers from the village was surrounded by superior enemy forces, but Mary brought down a thick fog on the battlefield, allowing them to escape. This phenomenon is also known from the city of Samokov and is called “Mary’s Cloak”—a manifestation of the Mother of Humanity as a protector and shield.

A visit to the chapels and churches of Raduil, together with the monastery in Samokov and the historic churches in Tsari Mali Grad, offers an authentic experience of traditional Bulgarian folk Christianity, which still exists in the villages beneath the surface. In Raduil, there is a pilgrimage day to each of the 13 chapels, and a central holiday where the entire community gathers in the village square and cooks 13 pots of kurban (“sacrifice”) in honor of the 13 chapels.