His Holiness Patriarch Daniel of Bulgaria led a water blessing prayer service at Lake Babreka, a highlight of the country’s 16th annual “Rila Miracle Worker” pilgrimage, held from August 1 to 5. The event honors the historic 1469 transfer of the relics of Saint John of Rila from the city of Tarnovgrad to the Rila Monastery.

The pilgrimage began with a patriarchal liturgy in the ancient Church of Saint Sophia in the capital city of Sofia. From there, hundreds of pilgrims trekked through the Vitosha, Verila, and Rila mountains, joined by faithful from across Bulgaria and abroad.

This year marked the second time Patriarch Daniel, also Metropolitan of Sofia, led the blessing at the high-altitude Lake Babreka. He was joined by bishops from the Sofia Metropolis, clergy from the Dupnitsa region, and representatives of the Western and Central European Diocese. In his address to the pilgrims, Patriarch Daniel emphasized the importance of preserving the spiritual legacy of Saint John of Rila through prayer and unity, calling it “a testimony of living faith strengthened by God’s grace.”

On August 3, prior to the start of the journey, Bulgarian President Rumen Radev officially inaugurated the pilgrimage route alongside Patriarch Daniel as part of the national initiative “On the Path of Faith.” The route begins at the ancient Rotunda of Saint George in Sofia, where Saint John's relics once rested, and ends at the Rila Monastery, his final resting place and Bulgaria’s most revered religious site.

Saint John of Rila, founder of the Rila Monastery, is considered the heavenly protector of Bulgaria and remains deeply venerated not only in his homeland but also in Orthodox Christian communities across Eastern Europe, including Russia and Ukraine.