On August 18, Orthodox Christians celebrate the holiday of one of the most respected and revered Bulgarian saints - the famous miracle worker Ivan (John) Rilski. In numerous churches dedicated to this saint, solemn services are served, and thousands of pilgrims come to the Rila Monastery to pray before ancient icons and venerate the miraculous relics of the saint.
According to historians, St. Ivan Rilski was born around 876 in the village of Skrino in the Dupnitsa region in Bulgaria and died on August 18, 946. At the age of 25, he took monastic vows and devoted his life entirely to divine service. The most active years of his religious activity fell on the reign of the Bulgarian Tsar Peter the Great (927-969). During this period, the monk withdrew from the world and began to live as a hermit in one of the caves in Mount Rila.
Spending his days in spiritual exploits, fasts and prayers, the saint did not forget about the worldly inhabitants. He founded a monastery in the vicinity of Mount Rila and performed many miracles helping and healing local people. According to legend, the spiritual strength of St. Ivan Rilski was so powerful that he could understand the language of wild animals and birds that themselves came and flew to him, could influence the weather and people's thoughts. His fame as a great healer and miracle worker was so great that he even forced Tsar Peter I himself to come for help to the saint.
After his death, St. Ivan Rilski was buried in the monastery he founded (Rila Monastery) in the vicinity of Rila, which still exists today. On the day of St. Ivan Rilski, pilgrims come to the monastery not only from all regions of Bulgaria, but also from abroad. On this holiday, pilgrims can visit, together with the monks, the cave in Mount Rila, in which the saint lived, come to the solemn service and pray in front of the ancient icons that have survived from the time of his life. Also, pilgrims can venerate the miraculous relics of the saint, carefully preserved in the monastery.
In addition to the Rila Monastery, festive services are held in numerous churches and temples erected in honor of the holy miracle worker. Today St. Ivan Rilski is widely revered not only in Bulgaria, where he is one of the most important and beloved national saints, but also throughout the Balkan Peninsula and in Russia. They turn to him with prayers for healing, for family well-being, for spiritual cleansing and enlightenment.
