2022-11-25 Fri

Saint John of Rila was the first Bulgarian hermit; he was reversed as a saint while he was still alive. He became a priest at 25 in the "St. Dimitrii" monastery, located under peak Ruen. After accepting the life of a monk, Saint John left the monastery and dedicated his life to solitude and prayer. According to the legends, he performed miracles to help the people.

The Bulgarian National Bank issued Bulgarian Lev banknotes depicting Saint John of Rila on 1 Bulgarian Lev banknote in 1999. Saint John of Rila featured a red-coloured 1 Bulgarian Lev banknote on the front side of the note. The Monastery of Saint Ivan of Rila is on the backside.

Image Courtesy: colnect.com