Description
Bachkovo monastery Dormition of the Mother of God is the second largest Bulgarian monastery. It has church holiday on 15th of August. It was founded in 1083 by Grigorii Bakuriani – a great domestic of the Western troops of the Byzantine emperor Alexius I Komnenos.
The biggest shrine of the Bachkovo Monastery is its icon of the Saint Mary. It is kept in a special place in the monastery and because of its wonderwork it is an object of worship by an unceasing stream of believers. At the entire painting, only the faces of Saint Mary and the Child are visible and everything else is covered as a sign of respect with two silver fittings. On the older of them there is an inscription, according to which it was donated in 1311 by the Georgians Athanasius and Okropir. The newer one dates from 1819.
The earliest written information about this icon was given in 1819 by the priest from Plovdiv Konstantin Ikonom. According to a legend, after the conquest of Thrace, the icon was found in a cave and next to it an ayazmo where it is a church of the Saint Mary.
Every year on the second day of Easter when it is said that the icon was found, they carry the icon to the church with a lithic procession. Lots of people from all over the country take part in this ceremony.
The frescoes from 1840 are work of Zachary Zograf. On the facade wall of the church he painted his self-portrait, inscribed “I painted with my hand” “Zachary h. Bulgarian painter”.
Technical parameters
Metal – copper 999/1000, patina
Quality – matt
Weight – 20 gr
Diameter – 40 mm
Obverse – Bachkovo monastery
Author Plamen Chernev, sculptor at Bulgarian Mint of the Bulgarian National Bank
Reverse – Author`s replica of the miraculous icon of Saint Mary
Capsule and luxury cardboard packaging
