Legend of the “Black Mary” and the church Dormition of the Mother of God – Nesebar

The Church of the Dormition of the Mother of God is the only active church in Nesebar. It was built in 1873.

On August 15 every year the city’s holiday is celebrated and many visitors come to see the Black Mary. Legend has it that 2 centuries ago people woke up with a crying icon of the Mother of God hanging on the oldest tree in the city.

For three days in a row, the inhabitants took it down and carried it to the churches of Nesebar, but each time it reappeared on the tree.

The Virgin Mary appeared to a local girl in a dream and said that she wanted a temple to be built on the site of the tree. The people of Nesebar built the temple and left the old tree in its center.

Years later, when the tree was cut down in 1880, they found a lot of gold and money in its roots. The trunk of the miracle tree is still in the center of the temple, and many religious people say a sick believer will be healed if they lean on it.

Today, tourists from all over the world visit the temple and pray in the temple of the Mother of God for health and good fortune, and many people from Nesebar believe that the “Black Mary” chases away evil spirits and makes their days brighter.