The Maryan Monastery is located in the Maryan village nearby the town of Elena, in the Stara Planina mountains on the way to the town of Sliven..
It is assumed that Maryan village is one of the oldest settlements in Helena. Its occurrence is associated with the Roman and early Byzantine construction in the Balkan mountains. The reason to build an early Christian basilica in the V-VI century, on which were built churches and moastreies in the Middle Ages.
În According to the legends of this place, there was a monastery here, since VIII-IX centuries. This church was built in 1835. During the excavations were discovered the foundations of an old Christian church.
According to the legend, the current location of the monastery was founded in the VIII-IX centuries. This is confirmed by archaeological finds – they found six ends of the obelisk of Theodosius, four of which are stored in the National Museum of History, and the other two are kept in the monastery. When excavations were made, the foundations of an old Christian church and an altar were descovered. In the altar was a marble sarcophagus. According to the stories told, inside was a skeleton with a Gospel in his arms and a crown on his head- symbols of spiritual power and profane. The villagers, according to chronicles and legends remaining from religious books, decided that they found the tomb and remains of Tsar Boris I Mihail the Baptist.. but due to constant fear of Turkish authorities atrocities, all findings were again hidden underground.
It is also interesting tradition which links the village and the monastery with Bulgarian Princess Mara (Kera Tamara), sister of the last Bulgarian ruler – Shishman.
After the battle of Chernomen in 1371, the Ottoman conquest that followed in Bulgarian lands and the peace treaty signed with Empire, made of the Bulgarian ruler to become a vassal of Sultan. As a pledge of peace, Murad I ask as wife the sister of the King Kera Tamara, known for its exceptional beauty.
According to legend, Princess of Turnovo on the road to the capital of the Empire, Bursa, stays overnight at the Maryan Monastery and when leaving she left a hat with gold coins, to build a monastery to glorify Christ’s name and hers. The legend says that this is why the village and monastery bears its name.
The fate of the monastery is radically changed. Most likely it was burned in the first centuries of Ottoman rule.
The present church is new. It was built in 1835. When the foundations were dug they were discovered the foundations of an old Christian church.
The current monastery functioned since 1992 and is established by the order of the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. In the monastery you can see icons painted by ancient masters of the Tryavna School. The Monastery celebration is on August the 6th.
The current monastery was restored at the initiative of Bishop Ilarion Trayanopolski in 1992. The renewal began on 16 May 1993 with the ceremony of holiness by his Grace Metropolitan Gelasius in New York, then managing the Dorostol-Cherven diocese. After completion of the renovation works, the monastery was consecrated by His Eminence Metropolitan of Veliko Tarnovo Gregory. The feast of the church is on August the 6th – Transfiguration of the Lord.
Currently, Maryan Monastery is of girls, and operates permanently.
