Syana Monastery “St. Marina” is situated next to Syanovo village, 22 km away from Tutrakan and 53 km east of Ruse. According to the legend there were three monasteries in Syanovo region one of them being Syana Monastery “St. Marina” . The fate of the monasteries is unclear, but is believed to have been burned by the Turks after being under Ottoman rule for five centuries. The stone plates found serve as an evidence also do the human bones and the fragments of mortar and ceramics. There are three legends explaining the holly spring near the monastery:
The first legend
Older people say that one-day father and his son were coming into the village and they were preparing to become ministers. They were taking the buffaloes on the fields to feed. One day in this region a buffalo went into labour. Father – Hassan, went to the village for help, and his son – Ahmed remained to take care of it. Suddenly the buffalo began to spin in a circle while the pastor could not stop it. The earth beneath her feet began to sink until it ended up down that hole. The boy wondered how to save the scared buffaloes. He remembered to untie his belt to take off his turban and bind them. He entered the pit, tied the buffalo and pulled it out. Then he lowered himself into the pit. In the darkness he saw a big iron door with a huge padlock. Because it was rusty, he opened it and went inside. Before him appeared three pantries full with gold and a gold camp. Meanwhile, the father came back, he cried the name of his son because he had not been with the buffalo. He heard a voice from inside the earth. He went down and saw the gold. They came out and closed the hole with earth and branches. They went with the herd into the village singing “Ahmed, Ahmed, until today we were pastors, and starting tomorrow we are masters”. They went to Istanbul. Ten years later they returned with ten carts pulled by oxen to collect the treasure. They searched a lot but in that place there was only a little spring which is still there these days.
The second story
It is said that the father left with his son around Bulgaria to seek a cure for his eyes. People sent them to New Bulgaria the land liberated from the Romanians. They travelled all over Dobruja without the child being healed. On the road back they passed through this area and arrived at the monastery. His horse stopped suddenly. He began to beat him, but the horse stood still. he then untied it and stopped to rest. The child went down from the wagon and started playing in the nearby spring that made an attractive sound. He touched his eyes with his wet hands. Suddenly the father heard the child screaming: “I see, I see.” Surprised the father approached and asked him what he saw. The child replied: “I see the horse, wagon, trees”. The man returned to the village and told the people what happened. Even today people with health problems come to drink from the cold water hoping to heal.

In 1911 the holy water spring of “St. Marina” Monastery started running again and admirers began to visit the holy place. The news quickly spread about the healing spring and it was turned into a fountain. In 1943 the priest Dimitar Mirchev Petkov came to serve there. He found out about the source of healing and invited other priests. They held a ceremony. Father Dimitar washed with water from the spring. Until then, he suffered from rheumatism. After washing, he felt a relief. With the help of the village and with the active participation of granny Vasilka / known for her encounters with the death people in her dreams and her predictions, father Dimitar decided to rebuild the monastery. The initiative was blessed by Bishop Michael of Dorostol – Cherven on 16 October 1944. With donations from the Christians visiting the holy spring in 1944-1945 was built the chapel in the middle of which runs the spring. In addition, they built three rooms for visitors with a donation from the village of Nova Cherna Hlebarova Donka. A caretaker from Stambolovo village was appointed and he arrived at the monastery with the arm and the leg paralyzed but after washing with water from the spring for a week he was healed completely and refused to be paid for this service.
Around 1950, the monastery welcomed Mother Tecla, but she was killed and buried in 1960. After her for a short time came another nun. Turtucaia district doctor used to do periodical inspections because he had information that the place was not a monastery but a healing place. Inspections showed that the hygiene was strict around the fountain and the right to drink water out of faith could not be denied. Bad people threatened the believers who visited the convent and made donations. They claimed that the monastery was built without the knowledge of the government and it is illegal. Frightened, Christians began stay away from the monastery and the guardian left. Syanovo monastery became deserted.
In 1991 the idea to rebuild Syanovo monastery occurred again. Spring was again discovered and made available to the people. A chapel was built and also a small building. Each year on July 17th – the patron’s saint day many people come from all over the country.