The Cave of St. Ivan Rilski - village of Skrino
St. Ivan Rilski is a Bulgarian cleric - the most famous Bulgarian hermit and saint, celestial protector and patron of Bulgarian people. He was born in 876 in the village of Skrino and died in 946.
Southwest of the village, about half a kilometer from Ruen monastery, is the cave where the saint began his monastic life and which was his first cloister before he moved to the Rila Monastery. The cave can be reached by a path that starts from the Ruen monastery, which today is named after him. From the cave itself has remained a small part, but it is an extremely interesting tourist site.
From the monastery starts a path to the "Cross", too. This is a site which gives a magnificent panoramic view of the Rila, Verila, Konyovska and Vlahina mountain and the surrounding villages. According to a legend, a virgin thrеw herself out of there to save herself from the Turks who were chasing her.
There is a third path that leads to holy water. People say it helps for eye diseases.
It is 36 km from Kyustendil to Skrino.
Do you know that:
- Pautalia was among the most flourishing cities in Ancient Times.
- in Kyustendil there are about 40 hot springs with temperatures from 50 to 73
- in 1966 Kyustendil was declared a national resort.
