Bulgaria Invests €62.5 Million in Rural Churches and Monasteries

Ivan Hristanov with Serafim Yanev, abbot of Eleshnik Monastery. Photo: hristianstvo.bg

SOFIA, BULGARIA — The Bulgarian Ministry of Agriculture and Food will invest 62.5 million euros ($72.5 million) in the restoration and preservation of churches and monasteries located in rural areas across the country, officials announced during a visit to the Eleshnik Monastery “Holy Mother of God” in Sofia Region. The funding is intended to preserve Bulgaria’s spiritual and cultural heritage while supporting struggling rural communities facing demographic decline.

Agriculture and Food Minister Ivan Hristanov said religious institutions have historically served not only as centers of worship, but also as pillars of local social life. He noted that churches and monasteries have helped preserve the social fabric of many villages over centuries and continue to provide stability in less populated regions.

The funding will come through the intervention program “Preservation of the Spiritual and Cultural Life of the Population in Rural Areas” under Bulgaria’s 2023–2027 agricultural development strategy. The initiative will finance repairs, reconstruction, and restoration projects for religious buildings with the goal of strengthening cultural identity and encouraging people to remain in rural communities.

During the visit, representatives of several Bulgarian metropolises and clergy from the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church welcomed the government’s support. Church representatives said monasteries and temples continue to serve as vital spiritual anchors during difficult times.

Previously, the UOJ reported that Jerusalem churches launched a joint restoration of the Nativity Grotto.

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