Chapel “St. Apostle Paul”

The chapel “St. Apostle Paul” helps to heal in the village of Ognyanovo. It is believed that the mineral spring in Ognyanovo, known as Miroto, treats more than 100 diseases. It has a temperature between 39 and 43 degrees and has been exploited since antiquity. The physicochemical composition of the water is particularly suitable for the treatment of diseases of the locomotor system, endocrine, respiratory and digestive systems, metabolism, nervous, gynaecological and cardiovascular diseases.

According to historical evidence, the first apostle Paul blessed the healing mineral waters of Ognyanovo to treat bouts. Reason for this, the scientists find in a message of the holy apostle to his disciple Titus, who preaches on the island of Crete and Dalmatia. The Holy Apostle Paul calls him: “Try to come to me in Nikopol because I have decided there to winter.” The Roman city of Nikopolis ad Nestum was rising along the Mesta river, in the valley between the Pirin and the Rhodopes. The ruins of the majestic settlement in the past and today can be seen very close to the town of Gotse Delchev and the village of Ognyanovo.

It is a matter of the same Nikopol being presumed by the fact that he was only 70 kilometres from Philippi, near today’s Drama, Greece. That is where St. Paul baptized the first Christian in Europe – Lidia.

The chapel “St. Apostle Paul “rises in the courtyard of the former Ognyanovo Profphylactarium, today the Therma Vitae. The site for the building and the founding stone was consecrated personally by the Metropolitan of Nevropos Seraphim. The chapel was built on the idea and with funds of the local businessman Ivan Bilarev and his family.