Hieromonk Euthymius, a Brother of the Holy Trinity Monastery at Krastova Gora, Has Fallen Asleep in the Lord
On 18 July, following a brief illness, Hieromonk Euthymius, a brother of the Holy Trinity Monastery at Krastova Gora, fell asleep in the Lord.
Father Euthymius, whose secular name was Georgi Tomov, was born into a devout Orthodox Christian family in the village of Milkovitsa, Pleven Region.
He was nurtured in the faith of Christ by his mother and began attending the Lord’s holy temple from an early age. He received an exemplary model of devoted pastoral service from his grandfather, Father Nayden Madzharov, who served as a priest in the village of Brashlyanitsa.
Desiring to study the Word of God in its fullness, in 1992 he enrolled as a student at the restored Saints Cyril and Methodius Theological Seminary in Plovdiv, from which he graduated in 1997 as a member of its third graduating class.
After fulfilling various obediences in the holy monastery, on 1 October 2004 he was tonsured a monk by his diocesan hierarch and received the name Euthymius, in honour of Saint Euthymius, Patriarch of Tarnovo.
He was later ordained to the holy priesthood as a hieromonk by the Metropolitan of Plovdiv and began serving as the appointed priest at the Holy Trinity Monastery.
In 2019, His Eminence Metropolitan Nikolay of Plovdiv also appointed him parish priest of the Church of the Ascension of the Lord in the village of Pavelsko, within the Smolyan ecclesiastical district.
For twenty-five years, Hieromonk Euthymius faithfully served the holy monastery and the Church of the Diocese of Plovdiv.
The funeral service and burial will take place on Tuesday, 21 July, at 11:00 a.m. at the Holy Trinity Monastery, Krastova Gora.
May God forgive him! May his memory be eternal and blessed!
Adoration of the Holy Cross (Cross day 14.09)
On this great festive occasion, The Church calls the believers to give a reverent adoration to the life giving Cross, on which the Savior himself beared the sufferings for the sake of our salvation; on the Cross as a weapon of the Christ's victory over the sins and death.
Adoration of the Holy Cross
On the eve of Cross day - 14th of September, worshippers from near and far lands come to pray for health and prosperity during annually vigil at Cross forest in front of the newly built church "Cerement of the Holy Virgin Mary". On the Cross peak, one of the large-scale gatherings in the world takes place. This event happens once throughout the year - on the night of 13th of September. At that time, tens of thousands of believers gather on the hill for a night liturgy in expectance for a miracle. The vigil ends with the sunrise when the sun's rays touch the peak of the huge metal cross.
The Vigil
The Friday liturgy is the one and only in Bulgaria, which is served during the night, the way the monks did in the old monastery.
The Vigil
Back then, there were festive processions with a chest containing a piece of wood from the Holy Cross, from Cross forest to the Bachkovo monastery and back. The service took place on Saturday’s eve, in honour of the taking down the body of Jesus Christ from the cross. So we follow that old tradition and serve only during the night - at Saturday's eve, and on Sunday the service are in the morning between 9 and 11 'o clock.
Welcoming the particle of Christ's cross - 24.10.2009
Prime Minister Boyko Borissov donated a piece of Christ's cross to the Holy Trinity Monastery in Cross Forest.
For 21 years, the sacred object has been kept in the secret fund of the National History Museum. The priceless relic was welcomed by the citizens of Plovdiv on Central Square.
Then, with a liturgical procession led by Metropolitan Nikolai and the priests of the diocese, it was carried to the church of St. Marina
On October 24, Metropolitan Nikolai will hand it over to the abbot of the Holy Trinity, Archimandrite Vissarion.
Holy Pentecost. Day of the Holy Trinity
On the fiftieth day of the Lord's resurrection the Holy Spirit came down over the apostles in the form of flames and endowed them with gracious gifts.
The holiday is called Pentecost, because this event happened on the day of the old-time Pentecost holiday that marked the Jews fifty days after Passover.
On the St. Pentecost the evening liturgy is combined with the morning worship (after St. vespers liturgy is carried out), prayers to beg for gifts of the Holy Spirit are worthy for worship and till Pentecost as a sign of spiritual joy of worship, the worshippers don't have to kneel. The holy prokimen: "Whose God is great like ours? Thou are a God who does miracles." - From the altar entry walnut leaves are thrown to the worshippers. The leaves remind about the flames above the apostles' heads. Believers take the leaves in their homes for blessing.
Holy Day of Pentecost is considered from ancient times to be the birthday of the Christ Church, established not by the vanity of human's thoughts, but from divine grace.