Sozopol, Bulgaria, September 1, 2025
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For the first time in nearly four centuries, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated at the medieval monastery of St. John the Baptist on St. John Island near Sozopol, Bulgaria, on August 29.
The service marked the feast day commemorating the Beheading of St. John the Baptist. The last Liturgy at this site occurred in 1629, when Ottoman forces destroyed the monastery and forced the monks to relocate to Halki Island, reports the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.
His Eminence Metropolitan Arseny of Sliven led the service alongside four brother bishops and multiple priests and deacons.
The liturgical chants were performed antiphonally by the Plovdiv Metropolitan Choir and Romanian Church singers.
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The service began with a liturgical procession from the Church of Sts. Cyril and Methodius to Sozopol’s port, where worshippers boarded boats to reach the island.
During his address, Met. Arseny recounted the monastery’s history and highlighted the spiritual significance of the 2010 discovery of St. John the Baptist’s relics on the island. Professor Kazimir Popkonstantinov, who led the archaeological team that uncovered the relics, received the Order of St. Demetrius of Sliven, First Class—the highest distinction of the Sliven Metropolis. In accepting the honor, the professor dedicated it to his late parents, his team, and all who assisted in discovering the holy relics.
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The 2010 archaeological discovery yielded a marble reliquary dating from the late 4th to early 5th century, found embedded in the center of the altar in a church bearing the saint’s name. The reliquary had remained sealed with red mortar until its official opening. Archaeological evidence suggests the monastery of St. John the Baptist was among the largest Orthodox centers before being destroyed.
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