St Nedelya Church

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  Great female martyrs have traditionally been honored ever since the times of Bulgarian medieval kings. During the reign of the Assens (12th – 13th centuries) the relics of St Nedelya and St Petka were moved from  Veliko Tarnovo, the medieval capital of Bulgaria. The churches built in their honor were later demolished by the Muslim conquerors. Nevertheless, these saints were honored by all Bulgarians even during the Ottoman rule. The passional of St Nedelya, written by Patriarch Euthimius of Tarnovo, is still preserved.
  St Nedelya church, one of the oldest in Plovdiv, had a new wood carved iconostasis is even as early as 1766. It is now preserved inside the chapel located in the churchyard.
  The church was rebuilt in 1831-1832 by the Bratsigovo builder Petko Petkov. The exquisite walnut tree iconostasis made by the master carver Yane Spirov is in complete correspondence with the wood carved bishop’s throne. Above the three-nave pseudobasilica rises the beautiful belfry, well visible from distance, which was built in 1905 by the architect Mikhail Nenkov.
  This place reminds not only of the struggle for independent Bulgarian church, but also of the death of the martyr St Rada of Plovdiv. She was the sister of Vulko Tchalukov from Koprivshtitsa whose family moved to Plovdiv and became famous for their generous donations. All members of Rada’s family fell victim to the Turkish atrocities. First, her husband was killed; later on, in 1837, she was slain in her home together with her children. The Orthodox Church declared them New Martyrs.
  There is a memorial tablet outside the wall to remind of their martyrdom.