On the eve of the feast of the heavenly patron of Bulgaria, St. John of Rila (Ivan Rilski), hundreds of Orthodox Christians head to the monastery established by him in the heart of Rila Mountain for an all-night vigil.
According to tradition, every year in the Rila Monastery, people honour St. John of Rila three times a year - on August 18 (the date of his ascension in 946), October 19 (the transfer of his relics to the town of Sredets) and July 1 (the return of his relics to Rila Monastery in 1469).
According to the hagiography written by St. Patriarch Euthymius of Tarnovo, some time after John of Rila's ascension, an "indescribable fragrance" began to emanate from his grave. Probably this was when the most revered of all Bulgarian saints was canonized. Around 989 - 992, his incorruptible remains were transferred by Tsar Samuil and the then Bulgarian patriarch German-Gavril to the town of Sredets (today's Sofia), after he appeared to his disciples in a dream and ordered them to transfer his relics there.
There are many stories and testimonies of miraculous healing after the prayers of the saint, who during his lifetime refused to accept the glory of a healer and always attributed the power to heal the sick and suffering to God. That is why believers to this day turn their prayers to the saint in days of trials and hardships.
"Do not seek preeminence but remember the One who said: ‘For he who wishes to be great among you must be the servant of all.’ And most of all, beware of the covetous serpent, for covetousness is the root of all evils, according to the apostle, who calls it idolatry," the Bulgarian saint bequeathed to his disciples.
According to the researchers, the Testament of St. John of Rila ranks next to Paisius of Hilendar’s "Istoriya Slavyanobolgarskaya" (Slav-Bulgarian history) in a spiritual aspect and as a measure of our national self-awareness and value system. The Miracle Worker pointed to the pursuit of wealth and greed as the greatest vice that sow discord and evils diverting people from spirituality. Therefore, he urged his followers to always put God and God's commandments first and trust in His unifying power.
Today, however, many do not realize meaning of the sacred words of the saint, while more than ever this country needs unification in the name of the common good. And that, according to the Heavenly Bulgarian Protector, can only come when there is "unanimity according to God".
Whether by chance or in order to direct the attention of the newly elected national representatives to the legacy of St. John Rilski, President Rumen Radev chose the first session of the 48th National Assembly to be held precisely on the saint's autumn holiday - October 19.
English: Al. Markov
Photo: BGNES, rilskimanastir.org
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