Fly halfway around the world for Boyana Church

A small church on the hillside on the outskirts of Sofia, Bulgaria. As soon as we arrived, the first thing we encountered was a long line of people and a short sign saying, "Today's admission is full." In fact, the church only allows a few people at a time, and reservations are required to preserve the 700-year-old frescoes inside. Unbeknownst to us, we could only wander around the perimeter. The atmosphere was peaceful. Tall trees shaded the stone walls, and the grass and shrubs were neatly trimmed, creating a small garden that surrounded the church. The silence inside contrasted with the crowds of tourists waiting outside. Nearby is the tomb of Queen Eleonora of Bulgaria (1860–1917). She is remembered for caring for wounded soldiers during the Balkan Wars. Despite being a foreign queen, she was revered by her people. Her tombstone bears the biblical verse, "Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy"—a lasting echo of her compassion. Boyana Church itself is an important historical landmark. The church was first built in the 10th century and expanded in the 13th and 19th centuries, but its most famous feature is its 1259 frescoes. These frescoes stand out from other medieval works of art because they not only depict religious themes but also deeply detail human emotions and personalities. Some scholars have even called them the "spring of the European Renaissance." Looking back at that same time—the 13th century—Thailand was entering the Sukhothai period, the first kingdom to establish our artistic and cultural foundations. Murals, temples, and the Thai script were just beginning to be developed. Just as Boyana used color paintings to record faith, these two distant lands embarked on a similar path—entrusting faith and beauty to the future within stone walls. Even though we missed the chance to look inside, standing around the thousand-year-old church walls is like pausing to listen to the sounds of time, which continue to tell stories, even if not in the form we initially expected. #sofia #bulgaria