John of Rila
Encyclopedia
Saint John of Rila (876 – c. 946) was the first Bulgaria
n hermit. He was revered as a saint while he was still alive. The legend surrounding him tells of wild animals that freely came up to him and birds that landed in his hands. His followers founded many churches in his honor, including the famous Rila Monastery
. One of these churches, "St Ivan Rilski" was only discovered in 2008 in the town of Veliko Tarnovo. Today, he is honored as the patron saint of the Bulgarian people and as one of the most important saints in the Bulgarian Orthodox Church
.
mountain (close to the modern city of Dupnitsa). He was a contemporary of the reign of king Boris I, his sons Vladimir (Rassate)
and tsar Simeon I The Great
and the son of the latter - tsar Peter I
.
Originally a herder, at the age of 25, Saint Ivan of Rila became a priest in the "St. Dimitrii" monastery located under peak Ruen. After accepting the life of a monk, he left the monastery in order to continue his life in solitude and prayer.
Saint Ivan of Rila lived in isolation in various locations before going to the Rila Mountains. There he spent the rest of his life in prayer and deprived himself of an everyday life by settling in the uncomfortable conditions of the caves in the Rila mountains.
According to legend, Saint Ivan of Rila was known to have performed a multitude of miracles in order to help the people. These miracles brought him undesired fame as he tried to live the life of a hermit and avoid contact with others. With his growing number of followers, many young believers and supporters set up camps around his cave, seeking a blessing from him. This led the way to the creation of the Rila Monastery
, which is considered to be the foremost monastery in Bulgaria.
Word of the miracles he performed reached the capital of the Bulgarian Empire
. Tsar Petar I (son of tsar Simeon I) took a 120 km. trip to the Rila Mountains in order to meet St. Ivan and seek spiritual advice. Their meeting is described in detail in one the hagiologies of St. Ivan Rilski as well as in the Testament of St. Ivan of Rila itself. After a long and exhausting trip, tsar Petar I reached the place where St. Ivan Rilski lived, however, upon arrival, the tsar then realized that the dwelling of the saint was inaccessible, probably due to the rough local terrain. As the medieval hagiologies point out, St. Ivan of Rila refused to meet the tsar in person to avoid the temptation of vanity and pride due to the extraordinary visit. As such, the two men only bowed to each other from a distance. The emperor sent a soldier to deliver the gifts that were brought for the saint. St Ivan of Rila kept only the a small portion of food and returned all of the gold and precious gifts, advising the tsar that monarchs need gold in order to protect the country and help the poor.
Shortly before his death (Aug 18, 946) St. Ivan of Rila wrote his Testament (Zavet). A literary work and a moral message to his successors and to Bulgarian people.
As the patron saint of the Bulgarian people, his dormition is commemorated each year on August 18 and October 19.
Shortly after the saint's death, his remains, which were thought to have wonder-working powers, were transferred to Sofia
during the reign of Peter I
.
After Magyar King Béla III conquered Sofia in 1183, the remains were sent to the Hungarian capital Esztergom
and remained there for four years before being returned to Sofia in 1187.
In 1194, Bulgarian Tsar Ivan Asen I
ordered the remains to be moved to his capital, Veliko Tarnovo
. Surviving the Turkish conquest of the city in 1393, they were returned to the Rila Monastery in 1469 with the permission of Sultan Murad II
.
abroad. He is traditionally regarded as the founder of the Rila Monastery
, a UNESCO World Heritage Site regarded as one of Bulgaria's most important cultural, historical and architectural monuments. One of Chicago
's two Bulgarian Orthodox churches St. Ivan of Rila Church
is dedicated to him, located in the Portage Park
community area.
As the patron saint of the Bulgarian people, his dormition is commemorated each year on August 18 and October 19.
One of Saint Ivan of Rila's miracles is "the fable of two pies" where he helped feed the poor when he visited bearing "two pies" which were given to him by the village pie maker. This led to Saint Ivan becoming the Patron Saint of Pies and Pie Makers and it is said that "two pies Ivan" will always provide for makers of pies as thanks to the poor pie maker who gave his last two pies to the Saint. This day is still celebrated in Northern America on National Pie Day which is the 23rd of January, where its tradition to bring "two pies" to the parties.
Ioannovsky Convent
, the largest convent in St. Petersburg, commemorates this saint. St. Ivan Rilski Col
on Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands
, Antarctica is named after John of Rila. The St. Ivan Rilski Chapel
built in 2003 at St. Kliment Ohridski Base
on Livingston Island is the first Eastern Orthodox edifice in Antarctica and the southernmost Eastern Orthodox building of worship in the world.
An icon
of John of Rila is depicted on the reverse
of the Bulgarian 1 lev
coin issued in 2002, and on the obverse
of the 1 lev banknote, issued in 1999.
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n hermit. He was revered as a saint while he was still alive. The legend surrounding him tells of wild animals that freely came up to him and birds that landed in his hands. His followers founded many churches in his honor, including the famous Rila Monastery
Rila Monastery
The Monastery of Saint Ivan of Rila, better known as the Rila Monastery is the largest and most famous Eastern Orthodox monastery in Bulgaria. It is situated in the southwestern Rila Mountains, south of the capital Sofia in the deep valley of the Rilska River at an elevation of above sea level...
. One of these churches, "St Ivan Rilski" was only discovered in 2008 in the town of Veliko Tarnovo. Today, he is honored as the patron saint of the Bulgarian people and as one of the most important saints in the Bulgarian Orthodox Church
Bulgarian Orthodox Church
The Bulgarian Orthodox Church - Bulgarian Patriarchate is an autocephalous Eastern Orthodox Church with some 6.5 million members in the Republic of Bulgaria and between 1.5 and 2.0 million members in a number of European countries, the Americas and Australia...
.
Life
Saint Ivan of Rila was born app. 867 a.c. in Skrino, at the foot of the OsogovoOsogovo
Osogovo or Osogovska Planina is a mountain and ski resort between southwestern Bulgaria and northeastern Republic of Macedonia,...
mountain (close to the modern city of Dupnitsa). He was a contemporary of the reign of king Boris I, his sons Vladimir (Rassate)
Vladimir of Bulgaria
Vladimir-Rasate was the ruler of Bulgaria from 889 to 893.He became ruler of Bulgaria when his father Boris-Mihail I decided to retire to a monastery after a reign of 36 years...
and tsar Simeon I The Great
Simeon I of Bulgaria
Simeon I the Great ruled over Bulgaria from 893 to 927, during the First Bulgarian Empire. Simeon's successful campaigns against the Byzantines, Magyars and Serbs led Bulgaria to its greatest territorial expansion ever, making it the most powerful state in contemporary Eastern Europe...
and the son of the latter - tsar Peter I
Peter I of Bulgaria
Peter I was emperor of Bulgaria from 27 May 927 to 969.-Early reign:Peter I was the son of Simeon I of Bulgaria by his second marriage to Maria Sursuvul, the sister of George Sursuvul. Peter had been born early in the 10th century, but it appears that his maternal uncle was very influential at...
.
Originally a herder, at the age of 25, Saint Ivan of Rila became a priest in the "St. Dimitrii" monastery located under peak Ruen. After accepting the life of a monk, he left the monastery in order to continue his life in solitude and prayer.
Saint Ivan of Rila lived in isolation in various locations before going to the Rila Mountains. There he spent the rest of his life in prayer and deprived himself of an everyday life by settling in the uncomfortable conditions of the caves in the Rila mountains.
According to legend, Saint Ivan of Rila was known to have performed a multitude of miracles in order to help the people. These miracles brought him undesired fame as he tried to live the life of a hermit and avoid contact with others. With his growing number of followers, many young believers and supporters set up camps around his cave, seeking a blessing from him. This led the way to the creation of the Rila Monastery
Rila Monastery
The Monastery of Saint Ivan of Rila, better known as the Rila Monastery is the largest and most famous Eastern Orthodox monastery in Bulgaria. It is situated in the southwestern Rila Mountains, south of the capital Sofia in the deep valley of the Rilska River at an elevation of above sea level...
, which is considered to be the foremost monastery in Bulgaria.
Word of the miracles he performed reached the capital of the Bulgarian Empire
First Bulgarian Empire
The First Bulgarian Empire was a medieval Bulgarian state founded in the north-eastern Balkans in c. 680 by the Bulgars, uniting with seven South Slavic tribes...
. Tsar Petar I (son of tsar Simeon I) took a 120 km. trip to the Rila Mountains in order to meet St. Ivan and seek spiritual advice. Their meeting is described in detail in one the hagiologies of St. Ivan Rilski as well as in the Testament of St. Ivan of Rila itself. After a long and exhausting trip, tsar Petar I reached the place where St. Ivan Rilski lived, however, upon arrival, the tsar then realized that the dwelling of the saint was inaccessible, probably due to the rough local terrain. As the medieval hagiologies point out, St. Ivan of Rila refused to meet the tsar in person to avoid the temptation of vanity and pride due to the extraordinary visit. As such, the two men only bowed to each other from a distance. The emperor sent a soldier to deliver the gifts that were brought for the saint. St Ivan of Rila kept only the a small portion of food and returned all of the gold and precious gifts, advising the tsar that monarchs need gold in order to protect the country and help the poor.
Shortly before his death (Aug 18, 946) St. Ivan of Rila wrote his Testament (Zavet). A literary work and a moral message to his successors and to Bulgarian people.
As the patron saint of the Bulgarian people, his dormition is commemorated each year on August 18 and October 19.
Remains
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
during the reign of Peter I
Peter I of Bulgaria
Peter I was emperor of Bulgaria from 27 May 927 to 969.-Early reign:Peter I was the son of Simeon I of Bulgaria by his second marriage to Maria Sursuvul, the sister of George Sursuvul. Peter had been born early in the 10th century, but it appears that his maternal uncle was very influential at...
.
After Magyar King Béla III conquered Sofia in 1183, the remains were sent to the Hungarian capital Esztergom
Esztergom
Esztergom , is a city in northern Hungary, 46 km north-west of the capital Budapest. It lies in Komárom-Esztergom county, on the right bank of the river Danube, which forms the border with Slovakia there....
and remained there for four years before being returned to Sofia in 1187.
In 1194, Bulgarian Tsar Ivan Asen I
Ivan Asen I of Bulgaria
Ivan Asen I ruled as emperor of Bulgaria 1189–1196. The year of his birth is unknown.-Life:...
ordered the remains to be moved to his capital, Veliko Tarnovo
Veliko Tarnovo
Veliko Tarnovo is a city in north central Bulgaria and the administrative centre of Veliko Tarnovo Province. Often referred to as the "City of the Tsars", Veliko Tarnovo is located on the Yantra River and is famous as the historical capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire, attracting many tourists...
. Surviving the Turkish conquest of the city in 1393, they were returned to the Rila Monastery in 1469 with the permission of Sultan Murad II
Murad II
Murad II Kodja was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1421 to 1451 ....
.
Saintly cult and tributes
St. Ivan of Rila is considered the patron saint of Bulgaria and Bulgarian people, and he is venerated widely both in his native country as well as among the Bulgarian diasporaBulgarian diaspora
Bulgarian diaspora consists of Bulgarian emigrants and their descendants.The number of Bulgarians outside Bulgaria has sharply increased since 1991, following the collapse of the communism in Eastern Europe. Over one million Bulgarians have left the country, either permanently or as temporary...
abroad. He is traditionally regarded as the founder of the Rila Monastery
Rila Monastery
The Monastery of Saint Ivan of Rila, better known as the Rila Monastery is the largest and most famous Eastern Orthodox monastery in Bulgaria. It is situated in the southwestern Rila Mountains, south of the capital Sofia in the deep valley of the Rilska River at an elevation of above sea level...
, a UNESCO World Heritage Site regarded as one of Bulgaria's most important cultural, historical and architectural monuments. One of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
's two Bulgarian Orthodox churches St. Ivan of Rila Church
St. John of Rila Church in Chicago
St. John of Rila in Chicago, referred to in Bulgarian as 'Tsurkva Sveti Ivan Rilski' is a historic church of the Orthodox Church of America located in Chicago, Illinois...
is dedicated to him, located in the Portage Park
Portage Park, Chicago
Portage Park is located on the northwest side of the City of Chicago, Illinois and is one of 77 officially designated Chicago community areas. Portage Park is bordered by the community areas of Jefferson Park and Forest Glen to the north, Dunning and the suburb of Harwood Heights to the west,...
community area.
As the patron saint of the Bulgarian people, his dormition is commemorated each year on August 18 and October 19.
One of Saint Ivan of Rila's miracles is "the fable of two pies" where he helped feed the poor when he visited bearing "two pies" which were given to him by the village pie maker. This led to Saint Ivan becoming the Patron Saint of Pies and Pie Makers and it is said that "two pies Ivan" will always provide for makers of pies as thanks to the poor pie maker who gave his last two pies to the Saint. This day is still celebrated in Northern America on National Pie Day which is the 23rd of January, where its tradition to bring "two pies" to the parties.
Ioannovsky Convent
Ioannovsky Convent
The Convent of St. John of Rila is the largest convent in St. Petersburg, Russia and the only stauropegic monastery in the region. It was established on the bank of the Karpovka River by Saint John of Kronstadt as a branch of the Sura Monastery of St. John the Baptist...
, the largest convent in St. Petersburg, commemorates this saint. St. Ivan Rilski Col
St. Ivan Rilski Col
St. Ivan Rilski Col is an ice-covered col linking the Great Needle Peak and Levski Peak in Levski Ridge, Tangra Mountains, eastern Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica.The feature is 1.4 km long, its axis trending east-west, with precipitous southern slopes...
on Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands
South Shetland Islands
The South Shetland Islands are a group of Antarctic islands, lying about north of the Antarctic Peninsula, with a total area of . By the Antarctic Treaty of 1959, the Islands' sovereignty is neither recognized nor disputed by the signatories and they are free for use by any signatory for...
, Antarctica is named after John of Rila. The St. Ivan Rilski Chapel
St. Ivan Rilski Chapel
The St. Ivan Rilski Chapel at the Bulgarian base St. Kliment Ohridski on Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands is the first Eastern Orthodox edifice in Antarctica, and the southernmost Eastern Orthodox building of worship in the world...
built in 2003 at St. Kliment Ohridski Base
St. Kliment Ohridski Base
St. Kliment Ohridski Base is a Bulgarian Antarctic base on Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands.The base, originally known as Sofia University Refuge, was named in 1993 "for St...
on Livingston Island is the first Eastern Orthodox edifice in Antarctica and the southernmost Eastern Orthodox building of worship in the world.
An icon
Icon
An icon is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, from Eastern Christianity and in certain Eastern Catholic churches...
of John of Rila is depicted on the reverse
Obverse and reverse
Obverse and its opposite, reverse, refer to the two flat faces of coins and some other two-sided objects, including paper money, flags , seals, medals, drawings, old master prints and other works of art, and printed fabrics. In this usage, obverse means the front face of the object and reverse...
of the Bulgarian 1 lev
Bulgarian lev
The lev is the currency of Bulgaria. It is divided in 100 stotinki . In archaic Bulgarian the word "lev" meant "lion".It is speculated that Bulgaria, as a member of the European Union will adopt the Euro in 2015 .- First lev, 1881–1952 :...
coin issued in 2002, and on the obverse
Obverse and reverse
Obverse and its opposite, reverse, refer to the two flat faces of coins and some other two-sided objects, including paper money, flags , seals, medals, drawings, old master prints and other works of art, and printed fabrics. In this usage, obverse means the front face of the object and reverse...
of the 1 lev banknote, issued in 1999.