East of Sofia, beneath the sprawling Trakia Highway, and near the Verila railway junction lies the Lozen Monastery “St. Apostles Peter and Paul.” This sacred place, located in the lands of Dolni Lozen, has long been intertwined with the spiritual lives of the local Christians, just like its counterpart, the “Ascension of the Lord” monastery. Its origins trace back to the 10th or 11th century, a time when it was a flourishing male monastery with a brotherhood numbering around forty monks. It is believed that two chapels graced the monastery – one dedicated to the apostles Peter and Paul, and the other to the feast of Pentecost, the Holy Trinity.
As the 14th century waned, the monastery thrived both spiritually and materially, even as Bulgaria faced the looming threat of Ottoman invasion. The area, densely forested, offered a natural veil, concealing the monastery from prying eyes. Ottoman forces, marching along the route from Constantinople to then-Sofia (where the Trakia Highway now runs), would pass by, oblivious to the sanctuary hidden within the trees. But fate, as it often does, turned on the sound of bells. One evening, as the monks struck the semantron and bells for vespers, their reverberations reached the ears of passing Turks. The tranquility was shattered; the monastery was attacked, razed to the ground, and every monk within was mercilessly slain.
There was, however, a lone witness – a young boy from the village, tending his flock nearby. Hidden from sight during the massacre, he later recounted the harrowing events. The Christians of Lozen, determined to preserve the memory of their sacred monastery, took upon themselves the solemn duty of commemorating its feast days. Some pledged to honor the apostles Peter and Paul, while others observed the feast of Pentecost. Though Ottoman oppression prevented them from holding formal services, they continued to visit the monastery grounds on these holy days, sharing blessed food in remembrance of the saints.
For over 500 years, the tradition endured, passed down through generations. The land belonging to the monastery was never tilled; shepherds avoided it, reverently steering their flocks clear, and none dared to rest where the sacred walls once stood. By the end of the 19th century, in Sofia’s cadaster, the site was mistakenly labeled as “Holy Trinity,” after one of the monastery’s chapels.
Fast forward to the early 20th century, when a small chapel was erected on the spot remembered as the location of the old church. Then, in the 1930s, an elderly man from Lozen, known as Grandpa Budin, received a divine revelation in a dream. He was told to leave his family—his wife and children—and devote his life to the monastery. He was also commanded to abstain from meat and never cut his hair. Filled with fear and awe, he dedicated himself to the service of God. He tended to the chapel, lighting the oil lamps, cleaning, and welcoming those who came to pray.
King Boris III, who often rode through the area on horseback, was known to stop at the chapel for prayer. To this day, the monastery preserves the stone ring where the king would tether his horse. It is said that he would leave donations for the upkeep of the chapel, and if Grandpa Budin was absent, he would place the money under a stone outside the church. The family of Grandpa Budo, as the villagers called him, continues to assist the monastery diligently.
In the tragic aftermath of World War II, on August 28, 1943, King Boris III passed away. On the 40th day after his death, the villagers of Lozen, led by their priests and schoolchildren, gathered and processed to the monastery, where they held a memorial service in his honor.
During the atheistic era, the memory of the holy days persisted, though the chapel was no longer a place for the Divine Liturgy. Instead, water blessings and prayer services were held. Later, a pious woman purchased building materials to restore the monastery, but the communist authorities seized them and refused to allow the reconstruction.
In 1988-89, thanks to the efforts of Father Ivan Dinkov and many devout Christians from the village, a small church was erected on the foundations of the old chapel. Among those participating in these services was the current Metropolitan of Plovdiv, Nikolay, who was then a theology student in Sofia. Since then, he has been a spiritual guide to the monastery. In early 1993, with the blessing of Patriarch Maxim, Nun Veronica (Koleva) came to the monastery. At that time, the only structure there was the church.
In 1994-95, the first residential building was constructed, funded by donations from many private individuals and companies, and largely built through the voluntary labor of Christians from Dolni Lozen. The second floor of this building houses a chapel dedicated to St. John the Baptist. In the late 1990s, with funds from the Sofia Metropolis, another residential building for pilgrims was constructed, featuring a library and dining hall.
The current church, dedicated to the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, was built under the blessing and guidance of Metropolitan Nikolay of Plovdiv, who served as vicar of the Sofia Metropolitan from 2001 to 2007. The church was consecrated on the feast day of Peter and Paul in 2005 by Bulgarian Patriarch Maxim.
