Pilgrimages in the Balkans

A Pilgrimage in the Balkans offers an encounter with the Orthodox Christian faith as it took root among diverse peoples and endured through centuries of upheaval, empire, and renewal. In these lands, Christianity was not only received from the Apostolic and Byzantine world, but was deeply woven into national life through monasticism and martyrdom. The Balkans bear witness to a faith preserved through suffering and fidelity, expressed in monasteries, ancient churches, and living traditions of prayer that continue to shape Orthodox life today.

In Romania, We visit historic monasteries of Moldavia and Wallachia, many renowned for their frescoes, and the relics of many Saints. We visit sites such as Sucevea monastery, Neamt Monastery, Snagov Monastey, Targu Ocna Salt Mine Church, and the Painted Monasteries of Bucovina, Voronet, Moldovita, and others.

Bulgaria offers some of the earliest Christian roots in the region, including ancient basilicas and monastic centres such as the Rila Monastery, which preserved the Orthodox faith through centuries of foreign rule. Additional sites we visit are St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Saint Sophia Cathedral, Bachkovo Monastery, Saint George Rotunda Church, Sevta Nedelya Church, and others.

In Serbia, our pilgrimage brings us into contact with a profoundly monastic and ecclesial culture formed around the legacy of St Sava and the medieval Serbian Church. We visit ancient monasteries and churches that served as spiritual and national centres. We visit UNESCO sites Studenica and Sopoćani, along with the iconic Mileseva Monastery and the "Serbian Mount Athos" in the Ovcar-Kablar Valley, plus important churches like Belgrade's St. Petka Chapel and the massive Cathedral of Saint Sava

North Macedonia preserves an equally ancient Christian inheritance, with early churches, monastic sites, and centres such as Ohrid, long regarded as a spiritual and educational heart of the region. We visit historic Byzantine monasteries like Ohrid's St. Naum, Bigorski Monastery (St. John the Baptist) in Mavrovo, and St. Joakim Osogovski.

A pilgrimage in the Balkans allows participants to encounter a living Orthodoxy marked by perseverance, reverence, and continuity.

Each of our pilgrimage packages is custom-tailored to fit your group's needs. If you are interested in organising a pilgrimage to any of our destinations in the Balkans, please contact us to discuss details.

Photos from previous Balkans pilgrimages