About this website and our parish „Our Lady of the Rosary“ in Veliko Turnovo, Bulgaria

PARISH “OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY” IN VELIKO TARNOVO, DIOCESE OF NICOPOLI

IN BULGARIAN “SVETA DEVA MARIA NA BROENITSATA”

The parish is one of the young parishes after the Liberation of Bulgaria. It was built in 1890, when specialists and workers from abroad started to arrive in Bulgaria, who set the beginning of the modern Bulgarian industry.

Thanks to those Czech workers, Austro-Hungarian citizens, our parish was established together with some factories, which they opened in Veliko Tarnovo. For many years this small chapel served their families. The big flourishing of the parish sets in during the 30s when there was a permanent parish priest. The papal representative (nuncio) in Bulgaria, and later in Turkey, Monsignor Angelo Roncalli – the future Pope John XXIII wore in his heart this small parish, since he was in very good friendly relationships with the parish priest Father Carlo Raev. He served in our parish and has always declared his adherence to this beautiful town of Veliko Tarnovo and region in Bulgaria.

Later in the period of communism really difficult years of the parish set in but in 90s there is a new big bloom thanks to the return of the Fathers Passionists in Bulgaria. They contributed a lot, so that the spiritual life may not become extinct, but also the parishioners themselves, who have demanded to have their own priest. Since 2009 in the parish there is a permanent parish priest – Father Strahil Kavalenov.

Last year in October, our parish celebrated the 120th anniversary of the founding of the temple together with the Papal Nuncio Monsignor Janusz Bolonek.