Bulgaria Inside

The village of Epibata on the Sea of Marmara was the home place of St. Petka, who lived there in the 11th century. The saint wanted to dedicate herself to ascetic life. Upon the death of her parents, Petka donated all of their wealth. According to beliefs, her relics have healing power.

The St. Petka cult spread to Bulgaria and Plovdiv residents decided to make the saint protector of their city. In the first days after the liberation from Ottoman rule, Plovdiv residents agreed to construct a church. The sanctuary has impressive size and architecture. It was constructed in three years.

St. Petka’s construction is one of the few cases when all of the city elite joined a single project.

Architect Dimitur Naumov worked on the plan. Outer decorations are simple.

The bell tower is the most impressive part of the church. Petur Koushlev from Shiroka Luka worked on the iconostasis. Painter Petur Dzhamdzhiev from Plovdiv created the icons.

A fire broke out in 1970. As a result, part of the dome and the central part of the church were destroyed. Renovation works made the church even more beautiful. The new dome resembles the bell tower in architecture. The church opened doors once again in 1977.