The Bulgarian Exarch Stefan I (1878-1957) is buried at the monastery, as is the Bulgarian Patriarch Kiril (1901-1971).Metropolitan Stefan told Boris: “If the persecution of the Jews continues, I shall open the doors of all Bulgarian churches to them and then we shall see who can drive them out”. From Plovdiv, Kiril sent word to the king that if the trains attempted to leave, he would lie on the railway track in their path. Kiril went to the camp where Jews were being assembled for deportation and told officials that if they attempted to go ahead with the transport to Poland, they had better be prepared to load him on board too.