The “Ptschelino” Convent is at a 3 km. distance southwest of the Rila Monastery, right next to the pilgrim’s pathway. The church is located deeper into the mountain at around 500 meters from the agricultural buildings of the convent. It was built in the 80-ies of the 18 Century and is dedicated to the Dormition of the Theotokos. The church is small, with a single apse and open narthex, built of stone. Its ktetors are Metropolitan of Bosnia Seraphim and priest-monk Sebastian of Rila. It is known from the preserved ktetor’s inscription that the frescoes were finished on 9 March 1834. Their author is Dimiter Molerov. The central nave compartment has life-sized portrait icons of warrior saints and venerable saints. The ceiling is covered with wooden planks, and is decorated with oil paintings of stars, flowers, etc. On the entire wall of the antechamber is painted the scene of the Judgment Day. The icons on the king’s row at the iconostasis were painted in 1789 by monk Zacharias. They are currently exhibited at the Icon Gallery of the Rila Monastery.
