Rilski Manastir Local Customs

4 more images

"Tepavitsa" - An Ingenious mechanism bringing the waters from the river into a pond to wash the monastery carpets. They become all clean ,just from the washing power of the running water. Sometimes soap is rubbed on them to acheive a greater effect.

Located at Drushlyavitza river outside of the monastery by a local tavern ,when you look up left from the Samokov gate

...I could attach this photo here, since it's probably a Local Custom, hehe. No, just kiddin'. The first thing you see when you cross the Macedonian-Bulgarian border is this. In a sick way, I kinda like it...

Visiting the monsatary in the week-end: try to visit a mass at the church in the morning. It can be a unique experience. Whenever visiting the church, either on sunday or on other days, dress properly, but of course that is unnecessarily to say. Pay respect to the sanctuary ground of the monastery: that is, don?t smoke inside the courtyard, do it outside the gate. Pay respect to the ongoing practises during the day, don?t forget that the monastery is ?still at work? and is not some kind of Disney land tourist attraction. Don?t flash around with your camaras in the church (more over: it is not allowed, yet people do it anyway) and don?t do it during a holy mass.