About us

The Pilgrimage and Education Center at the Holy Metropolis of Sofia (PEC) was established on July 5, 2016 by His Holiness Patriarch Neophyte in his capacity of Metropolitan bishop of Sofia.

Members of the Management Board are Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pavel Pavlov, Daniel Nikolov, Stefan Dimitrov, priest Stefan Staykov and priest Stilian Tabakov, who is the Chairman of the Board. It is the members of the Board who are the bearers of the idea for the establishment of the PEC and visionaries for the development of pilgrimage.

The main mission of the PEC is to use the form of pilgrimage to assist parishioners for their full and active affirmation in the faith and Orthodox values, as well as to benefit the novices to acquire true knowledge and advance in the achievement of virtues. The means to this objective is the creation of a structure to support parishes and parishioners in the organization and development of Orthodox pilgrimage events in the country and abroad, children’s camps, conferences, festivals and other initiatives. The PEC has the task of promoting pilgrimage as an achievement before God. As part of our activities, we aim to support the pilgrims from other sister Churches who come for pilgrimage in Bulgaria, as well as to promote Bulgarian holy places, monuments of culture and art among foreign pilgrims and tourists. PEC also has the task to cooperate with the Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Bulgaria for the organization of courses for guides of pilgrimage groups.

The Pilgrimage and Educational center “St. John of Rila” owns the company POKLONNIK.BG EOOD with manager Emilia Milkova.

Tour operator POKLONNIK.BG EOOD is insured under the Tourism Act in LEV INS Insurance Company AD with Insurance policy № 13062110000706/ 28.05.2021.

POKLONNIK.BG EOOD has a Certificate of registration № РК-01-7706 for performing tour operator and travel agency activity, issued on 28.04.2017 by the Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Bulgaria.