The Transformation of a Religious Site. The Rock Church of St. Petka in the Town of Tran: between the Religious Cult and the Tourist Attraction
The Transformation of a Religious Site. The Rock Church of St. Petka in the Town of Tran: between the Religious Cult and the Tourist Attraction

Summary/Abstract: The focus of the research is St. Petka Rock Church located in the town of Tran, near the Bulgarian-Serbian border. This religious site is related to the strong and vigorous local cult of a saint who is well-known in the Balkans, St. Paraskevi-Petka. The cult is supported by an interesting local legend according to which St. Petka lived in that same small cave within which the church is situated today. Because of this,St. Petka is considered the patron saint of Tran and its inhabitants. The religious site and the specific cult of St. Petka in the past, as well as today, play an important role in structuring the religious life of the local community and constructing its identity.Proceeding from the historical presupposition and formation of St. Petka’s cult in the region, this article aims to examine some of the characteristics of the development and function of St. Petka Rock Church as a site of worship, as well as to study the changes which have occurred in the last two decades when the religious site was recognized as a site of cultural heritage and a resource for the development of local tourist products in the context of local sustainable development.

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