Krastova Gora (Cross Forest)
The monastery “Holy Trinity” is located in the Middle Rhodopi mountain among beautiful nature. It is located in the religious complex Krustova gora and this place is given on the map as Krustov vruh. During the last years, this monastery became very popular with the Orthodox Christians in Bulgaria as a Christian holy place and as a place of worship. If you want to go to this holy place, you must take the road from Assenovgrad to Smolian. You will pass by Bachkovo monastery and when reach the bifurcation road to Lucky town-at Yugovsko inn, you must take the southern road. You will pass across Borovo village and Krustova gora is 6 kilometers away from the village. This locality is situated at the height of 1545 meters above sea level, it is approximately 500 meters long and about 300 meters wide and it is a round meadow, surrounded by thick beech forests. The panoramic view from here is exceptionally beautiful, as you will see in the distance a group of mountain ridges and peaks.
Grigorii and Abazii Bakuriani founded Bachkovo monastery in year 1083 and they have also purchased for this monastery big land properties. The small village Invertse has turned into an economic center with rich animal breeding. The large flocks of sheep, belonging to the monastery, were taken to pasture at the picturesque locality Krustova gora, called also Gradishte as its form resembled a cross. The monastery dairy farms, apartment buildings and the church “Holy Trinity” were located here. The monastery “Holy Trinity” was also built here, as it is also known as Troitski monastery.
Christianity flourished in the Middle Rhodopi mountain till mud-XVII century, depiste the fact that this region was under Ottoman rule. There were many churches and monasteries, priests and monks. The period from the second half of XVII century till the first half of XVIII century was the most difficult period in the history of Rhodopi Christians—this was the time of the second mass forced conversion to Islam, as this put to the test the physical survival of the Christian population in the Middle Rhodopi mountain. The forced conversion to Islam started with the destruction of Smolian bishop’s office, of the theological school, of the bishop’s church “Saint Peter and Paul” and the last Smolian bishop saint Visarion Smolenski was murdered (29.07.1670).
All churches and monasteries in the Middle Rhodopi area were destroyed and the priests and monks were killed. It was the time of spiritual darkness and constant persecution of local Christians. Local Christians have preserved their religion for more than 100 years, despite the destroyed Christian temples and the lack of priests. The monastery “Holy Trinity” was also destroyed at that time and most of its monks were killed.
At the beginning of XVII century, patriotic Rhodopi people started to restore Bachkovo monastery, which has been set on fire. But Turkish people did not allow the restoration of the monastery “Holy Trinity”.
There is very big respect for the cross of Jesus Christ in the Middle Rhodopi area. Even local Muslims, who have been forced to convert to Islam, have preserved their strong respect for the Christian cross. Something more, even their whole life passed under its sign. They sanctified water with a Christian cross and healed ill people, blessed the milk and bread and buried dead people with it and so on.
The Christian pilgrim visits to the mountain peak area Krustov vruh did not sop, despite the fact that nothing has been restored, reminding of the destroyed monastery, as all villages nearby have been converted by force Islam and the very area was owned by Muslim people. Something more, despite the fact, that after year 1878 Krustova gora remained within the borders of the autonomous area Eastern Rumelia and after year 1885 it was within the borders of Bulgaria and Smolian area was under Ottoman rule, Christian pilgrims risked their life by crossing the border and despite difficulties, reached Krustov vruh.
Legends say that during year 1933, Yordan Stoichev Driankov arrived in Borovo village. He was born in Kovachevitsa village, Gotse Delchev district and since childhood, he has always been a very pious man. Sometimes, he behaved in a strange and inexplicable way, which amazed onlookers. Yordancho, as all people have called him diminutively, sometimes had visions. One of them-the appearance of a cross on the sky, was announced to the Bulgarian king Boris III, whom he knew. After one night, spent at the mountain peak area Krustov vruh, people told him the story of this place-there was a big monastery at this mountain peak, where a piece of the cross of Jesus Christ has been kept. Yordancho announced that he has been told to make and put a high metal cross at that place, as a token of respect for the fact that there was a piece of the cross of Jesus Christ at this place. After the experience in Borovo, Yordan Stoichev went again to the Bulgarian king Boris III and told him everything.
On 01.05.1936, the metal cross made by the help of the Bulgarian king Boris III was brought by Yordancho to the mountain peak area Krustov vruh, where in the presence of the whole village Borovo, this cross was concreted and sanctified as this happened at the eastern part of the peak. At the end of the Christian service, a white pigeon perched on the vessel full of holy water, which after that flew to the western part of the mountain peak area Krustov vruh. Yordan Stoichev pointed at the pigeon and told people to follow him, because he was going to show them where the old monastery healing spring was. The pigeon perched on a rock and water gushed out after cleaning the heaped stones there. During year 1957, Communists sent Yordancho to the prison camp in Lovech. He died there. We do not know much about his life and there still are many mysteries and unclear points about him.
During year 1956, at the order of the church “Birth of the Holy Virgin” in Borovo village, several building masters by the help of all Christian believers built the chapel “Holy Trinity” on some of the preserved foundations of the old monastery church, located in the western part of the mountain peak area Krustov vruh. For this reason, the church council purchased in advance the land from its owner. The builders used for the construction dressed stones from the destroyed old church and from the remaining monastery buildings. During the same year, a two-room house was built next to the church so that Christian pilgrims could shelter there. The chapel was sanctified by the bishop Stefan (later he became the bishop of Veliko Turnovo) in year 1958.
Later during the Communist dictatorship, Krustova gora was turned into a natural reserve. The residence villa “Kormisosh” was built here and it was strictly forbidden to Christian pilgrims to come here for worship. But walking along goat paths, Christians could find their way to the chapel. But the constant protests of a group of Christian people, headed by Petar Todorov from Smolian town, crowned with success and a Christian priest was appointed to serve at Krustova gora-this was the Orthodox priest Vassil Stefanov Arninski and church council was elected. However, Orthodox Christians started visiting this area completely freely after 10.11.1989. During the autumn of year 1995, in the presence of His Excellence Patriarch Maxim and in the presence of many bishops from Bulgaria’s Holy Synod, the bishop of Plovdiv Arsenii sanctified the newly built church “Mother Mary” at Krustova gora. On 22.10.1994, the miraculous cross, donated by the Bulgarian king Boris III, suddenly disappeared. A new 99-klogram cross was made of stainless steel. The cross, which has disappeared, was later found in the forest by a local shepherd and it is now kept the new temple.
