Description of the attraction
The Church of the Martyrs Kirik and Yulita is located in the center of Bankya, Bulgaria. It was built in 1932 on the site of the monastery of the same name during the Second Bulgarian Kingdom.
The temple is named after two martyrs. Saint Julita came from a noble Roman family. She was widowed early and was left alone with her three-year-old son in her arms. The girl was a Christian and even after the birth of her son she baptized him, at baptism he received the name Kirik. During the years of persecution against Christians that took place under the emperor Diocletian, in 304, mother and son were captured. Because of their unwillingness to renounce their faith, both the woman and the child were martyred. The bodies of innocent victims who suffered for their faith in Christ were thrown to be devoured by wild beasts. However, at night they were taken away and buried by two girls. One of these girls told others about how Kirik and Yulita died and where their graves are. When the Christians arrived at the burial site, they found that the bodies had not been decayed. Now the relics of the holy martyrs are kept in the Church of the Holy Mother of God in Ohrid. The Orthodox Church honors the memory of Saints Kirik and Julita on 15 July.
The temple is a majestic building with a large dome and a bell tower. Outside, the building is decorated with stone columns. The interior of the temple is decorated with wall paintings depicting Jesus Christ, saints and angels. The icons for the temple were painted by a group of famous Bulgarian artists under the guidance of Professor Hristo Petrov. The iconostasis of the church is a cultural monument.
