Among the many known sacred places of the Bulgarian land is a sanctuary, still looking for its place in the recent history of Bulgaria, but has already found his place in the hearts of believers… Read the whole sermon
The Cross place
Cross forest is a place, chosen by the grace of God to help those who seek truth and righteousness. The area is not only in the shape of a cross, with dimensions 450 on 200 meters, but it's surrounded by natural pyramidal mountain heights. Its location is like well thought, combining the rays of the sun, falling in a certain way. The forest is like purposely chosen for communicating with the endless space-time forms in our universe.
Is it accidental that the area is situated near the land of village Dolnoslav, asks T. Peev, where the unique Neolithic cult complex is. Is it coincidence the neighboring with mount Belintash, where you can clearly see traces of an ancient astronomical map, and where whittled arrows indicate the proximity with mount Inkaya that's associated with legends of wondrous events? Is it by chance there are so many churches, chapels and monasteries in a thirty kilometers radius in Asenovgrad, Bachkovo and in the near village Pavelsko, where currently 22 chapels are situated?
The Russian scientist Vladimir Avinski which quotes in his article T. Peev - comments that the large cultural centers of the human civilization form lines parallel to the meridians. Such a line with a width of about 50 kilometers connects two sanctuaries / like that in Stonehenge / on the territory of Romania, passes near Veliko Tarnovo, Plovdiv and the Kuklin monastery and leaves the borders of our country through the ancient Greek polis sanctuaries to Egypt and the pyramids.
Cross peak is also located along this fifty kilometers line. Right next to it are the Belintash sanctuary, Karadjov stone and the roads on which the Romans and Thracians had passed as well. It is supposed that in this region, was the famous Dionysius sanctuary. You can clearly see the Milky Way as it is on your palm. At a moonless night it radiates like a belt encircling the sky.
Cross Forest area
The mysterious movement of the stars in the sky above the Cross area has become from long time ago a part of its enigma. For a several minutes a star is able to make unusually long routes in the sky and get back to its original place. And this is a wonderful attraction, observed nonstop in the area of the Milky Way.
Natives keep their secrets. Cross peak is a bitter piece for the treasure hunters. Anyone who has tried to touch that holy place with unclean thoughts, has been severely punished. Even those who went there to dig for scientific purposes haven't achieved much.
It is obvious that the project at Cross forest is built by God and man. Being under their control, the area wasn't left aside throughout the ages. Even when there was nothing built by human hands left, the area was still used as a natural temple for worship and prayers, for meditation and repentance.
Only those who succeed to harmonize with the laws of existence and to feel God's will can acquire his grace.
But why is it called Cross forest?
Eighty years after the fall of Bulgaria under the Ottoman yoke, falls the great fortress - capital Constantinople. The enslavers slaughtered the clergy and robbed all the valuables of the Constantinople Patriarchate. In addition to the stolen values they also took the chest with the piece from the Holy Cross of Jesus Christ.
But how did this chest, plated with gold and silver came to Constantinople? The Roman Empire in III-rd century extended from Rome to Jerusalem, and was divided into two parts. The eastern part with Jerusalem, was governed by the devout Tsaritsa Elena and her son Tsar Constantine. The western part was under the reign of Maksentsii. Constantine founded the city of Constantinople (nowadays Istanbul) in 310-311 A.D. Elena's son, as a good Christian, under her influence was the first emperor who converted to Christianity and made it a state religion, elected a Patriarch and built many temples. Maksentsii on the other hand was a pagan who began cruel persecutions against the Christians. Constantine was begged by the Western Christians to help them by convincing Maksentsii to allow the people to freely profess Christianity on his part of the empire. But the both emperors did not end with an agreement so Constantine declared war on Maksentsii.
One day at lunch, when the troops rested after a cruel battle, Constantine and his soldiers saw on the sky a cross of stars with a clearly visible star sign below it "With this you will win". All were astonished at this unusual phenomenon and became very desperate, because the cross at that time was used for punishment. In the evening in the tent where Constantine was resting, Jesus Christ himself appeared and ordered him to take a piece of cloth to make a flag with a cross on it. "You will show it as well" said the Savior. Constantine not only made the flag, but also painted crosses on the clothes and on the weapons of his soldiers. With this remarkable army, Constantine gained victory after victory. Noticing that army, Maksentsii left the field and his troops scattered. Constantine entered into Rome festively, and as a memorial of that victory, they erected a glorious metal cross on the central square.
And as we know from history about the discovery of the Christ's cross by Tsaritsa Elena and the separation of its parts, by wise Christians, after the fall of Constantinople (1454) the enslavers robbed the city and the chest with the piece from the cross was took in the sultan's courts. When the monks from Bachkovo's monastery "Virgin Mary" found out what happened with the chest, they tried to buy it back with gold from the Sultan. And that's what it happened eventually. The monks received the chest with the Holy Cross in the monastery of Bachkovo. Worshippers from all destinations and nearby countries of Bulgaria started to come. But as we know, the monastery in Bachkovo was burnt down and robbed many times, and therefore was decided that the chest with the Holy Cross to be kept in the monastery "Holy Trinity" in the central Rhodope Mountains near the village of Borovo. Since then the monastery was called "Holy Trinity" - Cross forest. Here in the monastery, the Holy Cross was safe from thieves. Each year, before the Cross day, the chest is worn during a procession through moorlands, hills, goat paths while singing, passing through Martsiganitsa and Kluviata to the monastery. A service is hold, and on the next day the worshippers head back with the chest to Cross forest.
If you go on the 25th day after Easter in the monastery of Bachkovo, you will see a massive procession: the miraculous icon of Virgin Mary from Asenovgrad is carried during a liturgy from the church "Holy Annunciation" to the Bachkovo's monastery. A service is hold and after midday the icon is brought back in Asenovgrad, escorted by thousands of worshippers.These are solemn moments of faith, piety and grace of God's blessing for the suffered people!
The liturgy tooks place after midnight on Saturday’s eve in memorial to the removal of the body of Jesus Christ from the cross. We follow this old tradition and serve always at Friday's night before Saturday, and in the morning the other services are from 9 to 11 am.
Cross forest is one of the most holy places in our country, and here during the night services at the cross, 200 meters from the new church, lights and other phenomena can be seen by believers and non-believers, from Christians and Muslims who have come here to seek God's blessing for health and good deeds.