The life of St. John of Rila and how the icon of the wonderworker helps, prayers

John of Rila
(c. 876 - 946), venerable, great Bulgarian spirit-bearing ascetic
.
John, bishop Rylsky (+ 1938, commemorated February 26), see art. John (Pashin) Commemorated July 1 in memory of the return of the relics from Tarnovo to the Rila Monastery in 1469 (Bulgarian [1]), August 18 on the day of repose, October 19 on the day of the transfer of the relics from Sredets to Tarnovo in 1195, and in the Cathedral Bulgarian saints

Born around 876 into a family of pious villagers in the village of Skrino on the right bank of the Struma River, on one of the slopes of the Ruen mountain range. Having lost his parents at an early age, Saint John as a child was a shepherd for strangers. One day, the owner of the herd beat a boy because he lost a cow and calf. The saint turned to God for help, and the Lord not only heard him, but also showed a miracle, from which it was clear that the youth John was God’s chosen one. The holy youth found a cow and calf beyond Struma, but while he was looking for them, the water in the river increased, and the calf could not cross the river. Saint John prayed to God, laid his outer garment on the water, drew a cross on it, took the calf and walked with it, as if on dry land, to the other shore. The owner, hiding in the forest, was horrified to see this miracle, and, having generously rewarded the boy, released him from his house.

Having distributed his property to the poor, Saint John entered as a novice in one of the nearby monasteries - probably the monastery in the name of Saint Demetrius, located on the top of Ruen. There Saint John learned to read and write, began to study the Holy Scriptures, liturgical books, and the works of the Holy Fathers. After some time, he took monastic vows and retired to the surrounding forest, where he settled in a hut woven from brushwood. He labored on a high and bare mountain, eating only wild plants.

After a short time, robbers attacked him at night and, beating him, drove him out of there. The Monk John was forced to move to a desert area in the upper reaches of the Struma, where he lived in a deep cave. His nephew Saint Luke soon settled there as well. The place was so deserted that the Monk John at first considered Luke’s appearance to be a demonic intrigue, but, having learned that the young man was seeking spiritual salvation, he lovingly accepted him. However, they did not have to live together for long: the brother of St. John found the ascetics and took his son by force. On the way home, the young man died from a snake bite. Repentant, the brother asked the saint for forgiveness. The hermit often went afterwards to the grave of the righteous young man; there was his favorite vacation spot.

For twelve years Saint John labored in a cave, in the feat of fasting and prayer, and then moved to the Rila Mountains. Not staying long in one place, Saint John walked along the slopes of the peaks of Brichebora, Tsarev Verkh and Elenin Verkh, until he settled in a place called Golets. For a long time the Monk John lived in a hollow tree, and the animals did not harm him. The saint spent all his time crying about his sins and praying, eating only grass. Seeing such patience, God grew beans for the monk, which he ate for a long time. It was these beans that made his exploits known to people. One day, out of sudden fear, a flock of sheep ran along the mountain rapids until they stopped at the place where the monk lived. The shepherds following the herd were amazed to see the hermit, who tenderly treated them: “You came here hungry - tear your beans and eat.” Everyone ate and were satisfied. One of them hid a lot of beans for himself as a reserve. On the way home, he offered them to his comrades, but there was not a single grain in the stolen pods. The shepherds returned with repentance, and the elder forgave, saying with a smile: “You see, children, these fruits were appointed by God to feed the desert.” From then on, people began to bring the sick and those possessed by an unclean spirit to the monk, whom he healed with prayer.

After some time, wishing to avoid fame and remain silent, the Monk John moved to a spacious cave on a high rock. Here he labored for more than seven years, enduring many temptations from demons. The ascetic wore long leather clothes, which over time turned into rags, and ate herbs.

But this place of the exploits of St. John was also discovered. News of him reached the royal court. Tsar Peter (927-969) sent nine people to find the saint in order to take his blessing. With great difficulty the messengers found the saint. Seeing that the travelers had not eaten anything for five days, the Monk John offered them small bread, with which they were all miraculously satisfied, with half of the bread remaining. When they returned, they told the king about the miracle, who himself wished to see the saint. But on the way there were impassable places, and the king sent envoys with a request to come to him. He sent gold and fruits as gifts to the saint. The humble hermit refused to leave solitude and did not accept the gold. He wrote a letter of instruction to the king.

After some time, brethren began to settle near the Monk John, seeking solitude. Then the monk founded a monastery at the foot of the cliff, not far from the Rylo River. At first the monks lived in huts, then on the site of the exploits of St. John they erected a temple and built cells. The monastery was a communal one; According to legend, at first sixty-six monks labored there.

For many years the Monk John was the abbot of the monastery he founded, instructing the brethren with an example of holy life and soul-helping edifications. Having reached old age, five years before his death, the Monk John composed a “Testament” for his disciples, in which he taught the rules of monastic life and spiritual instructions. The monk knew the Greek language perfectly and read the holy fathers in the original - in his “Testament”, for example, the works of the Monk Theodore the Studite were used, which at that time had not yet been translated into Old Bulgarian.

In 941, the Monk John chose his beloved disciple Gregory as his successor, and he himself went into seclusion in a cave. The Monk John spent the last five years of his earthly life in silence and prayer. On August 18, 946, seventy years old, he peacefully reposed in the Lord and was buried in the vestibule of the monastery church in a stone tomb, which has survived to this day. The holy life of the ascetic and the signs of God’s mercy through his prayers became the best preaching of the Christian faith in the newly baptized Bulgarian land.

Life of Saint John of Rila

Mentions of John of Rila have been found since the 10th century. But, despite this, there is not much biographical information about the saint.

Origin and childhood

The date of birth of John of Rylsky is not precisely known. It is assumed that it was 876-880. The birthplace of the saint is the village of Skrino, located near the city of Sredets (present-day Sofia).

The boy's parents were simple peasants leading a pious life. From childhood, John strove for solitude, reflecting on the Lord.

Orphaned early, the boy earned his living by becoming a shepherd. One day, a cow and calf fell behind the herd, for which the owner severely beat the boy. Then the saint decided to ask the Lord for help. And the Almighty heeded the boy’s prayers, showing him the location of the animals.

But during this time, the water level in the river rose, preventing the calf from crossing it. Then, having prayed to the Lord, the young man took off his outer clothing, laid it out on the surface of the water and, depicting the sign of the cross on it, crossed to the other side of the river with the calf in his arms. The owner, seeing such miracles, was frightened and, having generously rewarded the boy, released the child.

The young man, having divided all his property among the poor, left his native village.

Monasticism

Leaving the village, John headed to the nearest monastery. According to ancient legends, this was the Ruena monastery. Here the young man became a novice, and later took monastic vows.

At the monastery the monk was taught to read and write. Having studied reading and writing, the monk began to master the Holy Scriptures, church books, and became acquainted with the writings of the holy fathers. At that time he was about 20-25 years old.

Searching for God

But the young monk was burdened by life among people, his soul yearned for solitude. Therefore, after a while the monk left the monastery, moving into the wilds of the forest.

Having renounced earthly vanity, John of Rylsky chose the path of spiritual perfection to experience Divine beauty and be filled with holiness. The inaccessible wilds of the Rila forests reliably hid John from human eyes. Having built a hut from brushwood, the saint devoted himself to prayers and communion with the Lord day and night.

But one day robbers came across him and, beating him, drove him out of the hut. From that time on, the hermit constantly changed his location.

His last refuge was a cave now called John’s Fast. Here he lived for many years, praying and fasting. The monk ate herbs, fruits, and roots.

Equal Angels Ministry

For his love of God and patience, the Almighty sent the monk beans, which became a good help for the hermit. One day, a flock of sheep came to the place where the monk lived. Following the sheep, the shepherds appeared. The hermit treated them to beans. Since then, people in need of God's help began to come to the monk. The miraculous power of the elder helped heal the sick and cast out demons.

Monks came to the hermit wanting to receive instructions and advice from the elder. They built huts next to the saint's cave. Gradually the village grew, and the saint’s disciples decided to build a monastery on this site. John of Rylsky became the abbot of the monastery, where he instructed the brethren, giving them soul-helping edifications.

Last years and death

Hegumen John often left his spiritual children, secluded in the forest to communicate with the Almighty. Many hours of communication with the Lord inspired the saint to create the “Testament” - a wise treatise bequeathed to his descendants.

Several years before his death, John appointed his successor. He became the abbot’s favorite student, Gregory. The monk himself retired to a cave, where he spent about 5 years, fervently praying. On August 18, 946, having reached the age of 70, John of Rylsky ended his earthly life. The monk was buried not far from the monastery, next to the holy cave, and a stone tomb was built for him.

Location of the holy relics

The years 976-1014 were difficult for Bulgaria, which was fighting against Byzantium. The Bulgarian Patriarch had to hide in the city of Sredets. It was then that Saint John commanded his disciples to transport his relics to Sredets, appearing to them in a dream.

Having opened the teacher’s tomb, the students discovered the incorrupt remains of the abbot. According to inaccurate data, the transfer of the relics took place in 980. Later, the right hand of the saint was transferred to Rus' (the city of Rylsk), where a temple was erected in the name of the venerable elder.

The relics of St. John were transferred several more times:

• 1183 - from the city of Sredets to the city of Ostergom;
• 1187 – return to Sredets;
• October 19, 1238 - to the new capital, Tarnovo.

On July 1, 1469, the Rila monastery again found the miraculous remains of the saint, where they remain to this day.

Essays

The “Testament” of St. John is considered one of the best creations of Old Bulgarian writing and testifies to the high culture and deep theological wisdom of the author. St. John recommends in the “Testament” to read “more fatherly books.” At the same time, he himself quotes “Paranesis” by St. Ephraim the Syrian. The earliest Old Bulgarian translation of this work (two Glagolitic leaves) was found in the Rila Monastery in 1845. This circumstance obviously points to the fact that it was in the Rila monastery that the first translation of “Paranesis” was made, and, possibly, by the Monk John himself.

Posthumous miracles of the venerable wonderworker

John of Rylsky possessed miraculous power, which manifested itself even after the death of the saint.

The Greek emperor Manuel Komnenos suffered severe pain due to hand cramps. One day the emperor found himself in the St. John’s Church in St. Sophia. Noticing a lamp with oil above the shrine, Manuel rubbed his hands with it. Having been healed, the emperor presented the image of the Mother of God to the temple.

During the transfer of holy relics to Hungary, one Roman Catholic priest declared that he did not know about the existence of such a saint, refusing to venerate him. After these words, he instantly became speechless. Frightened, the priest knelt before the miraculous shrine of the monk, begging for forgiveness. The repentant priest was forgiven and spoke again.

There are also cases where, through the prayers of St. John, a monastery was saved from a fire, and a child born with weak, sick legs was healed. And there are countless such cases.

Veneration in Orthodoxy

The Russian Orthodox Church canonized Saint John as a miracle worker around the 14th century. It was then that his name was first included in the Galician Gospel, dating back to the 12th century.

Later data on the veneration of the saint dates back to the beginning of the 15th century. Many theological books in Russia, published in the 16th century, quite often mention the amazing hermit who founded a monastery on the Rila and patronized the people of Bulgaria.

The service to the saint by the Russian Orthodox Church began in 1645. In the 14th century, the Bulgarian Patriarch Euthymius compiled the Life of St. John, which became part of the service published by the printing house at the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra in 1671.

The All-Russian holy righteous John of Kronstadt, born on the day of the celebration of the Bulgarian saint, founded the St. Petersburg Convent in the name of his guardian angel.

Another monastery with part of the holy relics of the righteous man is located in the Kursk region (Rylsk). The Bulgarian miracle worker is considered the patron saint of the city. In honor of the saint, a chapel was built on the top of Rila Mountain.

Festive services dedicated to the reverend elder are performed by Orthodox churches three times a year: July 1, August 18 and October 19.

JOHN RILSKY

. There is much that is unclear in the early history of the veneration of I.R. in Rus'. The oldest mention of it here is the memory in the month of the book. XIII - beginning XIV century (Loseva O.V. Russian monthly books of the XI-XIV centuries. M., 2001. P. 124; SKSRK XIV. Issue 1. Appendix 1. P. 562), added to the Galician Gospel-tetra of 1144 (GIM Syn. No. 404. L. 245). However, this fact is only a local episode of Bulgarian-Galician book connections and does not reflect the real veneration of the saint in the south-west of Rus', since the entire month book was copied from the Bulgarian, similar to the month book of the Tarnovo Gospel of 1273. The memory of I. R. became widely known in Rus' (primarily in the northeast) from con. XIV - beginning XV century (during the era of the “second South Slavic influence”) in the menain tropars under the Psalms with recitation and (less often) in the Rules of Jerusalem; The oldest example is represented by Middle Bulgaria. Psalter with a look back at the turn of the 14th and 15th centuries. (RSL. Trinity Fund. No. 309). The memory is also contained in the so-called monthly word. Psalter Met. Kyiv Cyprian (RSL. MDA. Fund. No. 142), Russian. manuscript of the 1st third of the 15th century, copied, in all likelihood, from the original that belonged to this saint (Cheshko E.V., Knyazevskaya O.A. Manuscripts of Metropolitan Cyprian and the reflection in them of the spelling reform of Euthymius of Tarnovsky // Tarnovskaya knizhovna school Sofia, 1980, T. 2, pp. 282-292). Probably, at the same time, the prologue Life of I.R. came to Rus' as part of the verse Prologue, the oldest Russian. the list dates back to 1429 (RSL. Trinity Fund. No. 717. L. 394-397). There is an opinion found in literature (Dylevsky. 1999. P. 32-43; cf.: Dobrev. 2007. P. 531. Note 341) that the Life of I. R. is already in the lists of the oldest (non-literary) edition of the Prologue ( for example, in the Russian Orthodox Church at the turn of the 12th and 13th centuries: RNB, Soph. No. 1324), is the result of a misunderstanding. The text of the prologue Life of I.R. came to Rus' undoubtedly through the Serbian. means, since in all lists of the monument, including the oldest (Troitsky No. 717), the final part contains a prayer not only for the Bulgarians, but also for the Serbs (Turilov A.A. On the issue of the Serbian component in the “second South Slavic influence” // Russica Romana, 2007. Pisa; Roma, 2008. Vol. 14. P. 35). In this case, no later than the 3rd quarter. XV century in Russian lists there appears a persistent distortion of the prayer formula: “Destroy the only begotten language of the Bulgarians” (instead of “...Bulgars and Srable”). This clearly involuntary mistake arose as a result of reading the Russian. bookish, unaccustomed to South Slavs. spelling norms and writing graphics, the second of the ethnonyms of the ligature consisting of P and high b, like -TRЪ- (-TRE-). Contrary to what was said in Bolg. literary opinion (Dobrev. 2007. pp. 542-543), this is purely Russian. a feature that has nothing to do with Serbia (there is no distortion in the Serbian lists), nor with the fact of the re-establishment of the Pec Patriarchate in 1557. The Life of I.R. is present in all branches of the East Slavic tradition of the 15th century: in addition to the Trinity (that is, essentially Moscow) list of 1429, one can indicate precisely dated lists made in 1478 in Vologda for the Spaso-Kamenny Monastery (RGIA. F. 834. Inventory 1. No. 1261. L. 199-203), in 1478/79 in Novgorod for the Spaso-Khutyn Monastery (Ibid. Inventory 3. No. 3933; see: Turilov, 1978, pp. 40-42) and in 1496 for the Suprasl Monastery in the West. Belarus (GIM. Uvar. 56-F. L. 149 vol. - 152, see: Turilov. 2001. P. 256; the dating and localization of the manuscripts have recently been clarified). Due to the specific nature of the existence of the verse Prologue in Rus', where at the end. XIV - 1st third of the 16th century. it was used exclusively in monastic worship; the distribution of the prologue Life of I.R. was also limited for a long time to the monastic environment. During the 2nd half. XV-XVII centuries in Russian tradition, a number of local versions of the prologue Life arose (most of them representing a distorted original text), which became known thanks to Tomova’s many years of research (see: Tomova. 2008. pp. 162-163). However, before the last Thursday XV century there is no reason to talk about a noticeable veneration of I.R. in Rus', since here everything came down to the rewriting of the Life as part of a verse Prologue and a troparion and kontakion in monthly books. At the turn of the XV and XVI centuries. The prologue Life of I.R. was included along with the Lives of St. Paraskeva-Petka of Tarnovskaya and St. Savva of Serbia in the Solemn Menaion (RSL. F. 173. III (collection of the MDA “according to the temporary catalog”). No. 86) and in the Collection of Lives and Words (RNB. Weather. No. 852; see: Tomova. 2008. P. 145). In the ancient Sofia set of the VMC, this Life is placed twice: as part of the articles of the verse Prologue and separately as a substitute for the lengthy Life.

At the same time, a clear indication of the special status of veneration of I.R. in Muscovite Rus' (in the Ukrainian-Belarusian tradition the monument remained unknown) to the last. Thursday XV century serves the inclusion of his Life in the edition of George Skylitzes (with a message in the title about the presence of the relics on the Trapezitsa) in the composition not of collections (like the Lives of other South Slavic saints, which became famous in Rus' by the 1st quarter of the 16th century), but of the Menaion- Chetikh (for the most complete information about the Russian handwritten tradition of the text, see: Tomova. 2001. pp. 156-157; She. 2008. pp. 150-151). Therefore, it cannot be ruled out, although the question requires additional research, that the monument ended up in Russian. a tradition at the turn of the 14th and 15th centuries, before it became widespread in the south. Slavs Euthymius edition of the Life. The older list is contained in the October Minea-Chetya of the 80s. XV century from the library of the Iosifov Volokolamsk monastery near Moscow (RSL. F. 113. No. 591. L. 128-140; see: Sergius (Spassky). Months. T. 1. P. 501). A number of early copies of this Life, together with the service, are in the appendix to the February Menaion-Chets of the Domakariev composition of the 2nd quarter. XVI century (RSL OR. No. 144; YaIAMZ. No. 15244). Dr. versions of the lengthy Life of I.R., which existed in the south. Slavs and Slavo-Romanians. they did not receive bookishness or fame in Rus'.

It is possible that a certain influence on the growth of veneration of I.R. in Moscow at the end. XV - beginning XVI century played the arrival of embassies from the Athos Panteleimon Monastery in 1497, 1499, 1506 and 1509. (see: M. Boškov ". About the same image of St. Panteleimon in Russia (until the middle of the 16th century) // Zb. Matice Srpske for Slavic Studies. Novi Sad, 2000. Br. 58/59. pp. 46-47, 52). From the last third of the 15th century this Svyatogorsk monastery, whose brethren had been Serbian for a century and a half, was bound by an agreement with the Rila monastery (Dylevsky N.M. Treaty of 1466 between the Bulgarian Rila monastery and the monastery of Panteleimon-Rusik on Athos // Etudes balcaniques. Sofia, 1969. Vol. 2. R. 81-98); The agreement was concluded on the initiative of Maria Brankovich, and both monasteries enjoyed the patronage.

St. John of Rilski. Icon. 1764 (Museum of the Center for Slavic-Byzantine Studies named after I. Duychev) St. John of Rilski. Icon. 1764 (Museum of the Center for Slavic-Byzantine Studies named after I. Duychev)

In the 1st quarter XVI century (between 1516 and 1522) the prologue Life of I.R. was used in the Joseph Volokolamsk Monastery when creating the Russian Chronograph as a source on the history of Bulgaria in the 12th-13th centuries. (Turilov. 1984. pp. 21-23). Through the verse Prologue, the short Life of I.R. was included in the ancient Sofia set of the VCH, the compilation of which was completed in Novgorod by 1538/39. In the middle. XVI century in Moscow, with the addition of the Assumption and Tsar sets, the military equipment was included in them on October 19. also a lengthy Life compiled by George Skylitsa. This Life was also included in all later sets of Menaion-Chetikh: Chudovsky (1600), Tulupovsky (1629), Milyutinsky (mid-17th century), etc.

In connection with the Moscow Canonization Councils of 1547 and 1549. service (in some cases, the prologue Life) of I.R. were included in the so-called. Menaion to the new wonderworkers, in the composition of which it was further distributed (for example: GIM. Sin. No. 317. L. 60-66; No. 677. L. 110-120; No. 885. L. 76 vol. - 84, and others (all 16th century); older (defective) list of the late 40s of the 16th century (RGB. Egor. No. 938; see: Kaliganov I. I. Georgy the New among the Eastern Slavs. M. , 2000. P. 460); it apparently was not included in the official Menaion at this stage.

The service of I.R. is confined to Russian. handwritten tradition for October 19. (the only date of veneration of the saint known here). It may include 1 or 2 canons of the 1st voice (“Strong from on high, help and enlightenment sent the mind...” with an indication of the translation of the acrostic “You will accept the song unworthy of George,” which, however, does not correspond to reality (Dobrev. 2002; He . 2007. P. 38-58, 171-184)), 6th tone (“Divine light shining...) or 8th tone (Angelov. 1977. P. 59-71); Features of the spread of canons to the East Slavs. territories remain unexplored. From ser. XVI century consisting of notated hooks, stichirara and chants. collections are found together with chants in honor of other Yuzhslavs. saints and stichera in honor of I.R. znamenny chant (Dimitrova M. Pronikvane on the old literature chemnography in Russian singing collections (XVI-XVII centuries) // Literary miscellaneous. Sofia, 1984. Book 12. pp. 44-55 ; Kaliganov I. I. Georgy the New among the Eastern Slavs. P. 535, 559, 565, 574, 577, 585, 590, 594, 600). In the XVIII - 1st third of the XX century. this tradition was preserved in Old Believer manuscripts, hectographs and lithographic publications.

From 2nd quarter XVII century the short Life of I.R. is regularly published in Moscow as part of the Prologue (1st edition in 1641), the service (with the canon of the 6th tone; see: Spassky. 2008. P. 28) - as part of the October volume Menaion of service (1st ed. 1645; see: Dylevsky. 1974. P. 91).

At the turn of the 10s and 20s. XVII century information about the relics of I.R. was included in the Anti-Uniat. polemical treatise of Zechariah (Kopystensky) “Palinode”: “Not far from the Danube River, walking for five days behind the place of the great Sophia, there is a monastery of our reverend father John of Rilsk, near the great mountains, which are called Rylsky, whose memory is celebrated by the Church in the month of October 19th day. That saint’s body is whole in the race in the monastery and performs miracles, and congratulations to many to this day, but he was a Bulgarian by birth and fasted in those mountains for Tsar Nicephorus the Bulgarian" (Lev Krevza's "Obrona iednosci cerkiewney" and Zaxarija Kopystens'kyj's " Palinodija" / Introd. O. Pritsak, B. Struminsky. Cambridge, 1987. R. 399. (Harvard Library of Early Ukrainian Literatur: Texts; 3).

In 1671, in the printing house of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, Hierom. Anthony (Radivilovsky) included in the collection, published at the request and at the expense of the Pereyaslavl Cossack colonel Rodion Dumitrashka Raich (Rachi), the Life of I. R. and his service. Unusual for Eastern Slavs. tradition, the set of texts can be explained by the origin of the customer from Moldova and his connections with the Zograf mon-rem on Athos. The Life of I.R. is presented here in a special edition, created on the basis of Evfimieva with additions based on the prologue edition and on the story of Vladislav Grammatik about the transfer of relics from Tyrnov to the Rila Monastery (Dylevsky. 1974. P. 98-107). The service (with the canon of the 6th tone “Divine light shines from the angels”) represents one of the options known in Eastern Slavs. manuscript tradition (Angelov. 1977. pp. 68-69). The edition is decorated with 2 engravings with images of the saint.

In 1689, the same printing house published the 1st volume of Menaion-Chetikh (“Books of the Lives of Saints”), compiled by St. Dimitri (Savich (Tuptalo)), where on October 19. The Life of I.R., compiled on the basis of the prologue, was placed. The book was reprinted several times until 1917 and became famous both in Russia and in the south. Slavs, on Mount Athos and Romanians. lands.

St. John of Rilski. Icon. XVIII century (Rila Monastery Museum)

St. John of Rilski. Icon. XVIII century (Rila Monastery Museum)

Dedications to I.R. churches in Russia date back to the 2nd half. XIX - early XXI century and reflect Russian-Bulgarian. connections between New and Modern times, the earliest being the chapel of the Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist in Maloyaroslavets, Kaluga province. (XVIII century). The development of veneration of I.R. in Russia in the end. XIX century contributed to the activities of St. right John of Kronstadt, baptized in honor of the Bulg. saint On his initiative, the throne in the Cathedral of Women was consecrated in the name of I.R. monastery in St. Petersburg (see St. Petersburg women's monastery in the name of St. John of Rila on Karpovka). Also in the name of I.R., thrones were consecrated in the archimandrite chambers of the New Jerusalem monastery in honor of the Resurrection of the Lord, in the church in the name of I.R. and Leo of Catania in John the Baptist Skete of Optina in honor of the Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy. Mother of God of the Desert, in the gate church (1892) in Nikiforov Vazheozerskoye in honor of the Transfiguration of the Lord monastery, in the chapel of the Assumption Church (19th century) in Murom in honor of the Dormition of the Most Holy. Mother of God Monastery, in the chapels of the Annunciation Cathedral (XIX century) of Bezhetsky in honor of the Annunciation of the Most Holy. Mother of God monastery, Andronikovsky Cathedral (early 20th century) Vyshnevolotsky in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God monastery, Vvedensky Cathedral (19th century) Padansky in honor of the Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy. Mother of God monastery of Olonets province. Temples were also consecrated in the name of the saint: at the City Clinical Psychiatric Hospital No. 1 named after. N.A. Alekseeva in Moscow, in Arkhangelsk (XIX century, destroyed in the 30s of the XX century), at the bishop's courtyard in the village. Forest Forest (Simferopol district, Crimea), House Church in Minsk (XXI century); chapels in the St. Nicholas “Marine” Cathedral in Kronstadt (beginning of the 20th century), in the Znamensky Church in the village. Brody, Staritsky district, Tver region. (1905), in the Assumption Church with. Bely Bereg, Safonovsky district, Smolensk region. (1885); in the chapels (late 19th century) at the Alexander Nevsky Church in the city of Troitsk, Orenburg region, in the Rylsky Church in the name of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker (XIX century).

Source: Neophyte Rilski, Hierom. Services with the life of St. and our God-bearing father John of Rila, the wonderworker. Belgrade, 1836, 18702; Filaret (Gumilevsky), Archbishop. Saints of the South Slavs: Description of their life. Chernigov, 1865. P. 161-165; Hilferding A. History of the Serbs and Bulgarians // Aka. Collection op. St. Petersburg, 1868. T. 1. P. 121-131; VMC. Oct., days 19-30. St. Petersburg, 1880. Stb. 1143-1150; Euthymius, patriarch. Werke des Patriarchen von Bulgarien Euthymius (1375-1393) / Hrsg. K. Kalužniacki. W., 1901. L., 1971r; Miletich L. Nay-old life on St. Ivan Rilski // Library: App. to the Church Herald. Sofia, 1902. No. 4/6. pp. 130-140; Ivanov J. Bulgarian antiquities from Macedonia. Sofia, 1908, 19312, 1970r. pp. 345-383; aka. Lives of St. Ivan Rilski from the belezhka watershed // GSU, IFF. 1936. T. 32. Book. 13. P. 1-109; Kiselkov V.S. Nameless Life on St. Ivana Rilski // IID. 1937. Book. 14/15. pp. 93-108; aka. St. Ivan Rilski: Lives. Sofia, 1940; aka. Vladislav Gramatik and Negovata Rilska story. Sofia, 1947; Trifonov Yu. Sofiyskata edition on Vladislav-Gramatikoviya order for rotating on the paving stones on St. Ivan Rilski from Tarnovo to man-ra // Write-off to Bulgarskata Acad. on science. Sofia, 1940. Book. 60. P. 67-94; Goshev I., prot. Rub the nay-stari space of the life on St. Ivan Rilski // GSU, BF. 1948. T. 25. P. 3-72; Parthenius (Stamatov), ​​bishop. Leucian. Divine services to follow for the whole summer of St. to our father Ioann Rilsky, with an appendix. Sofia, 1955; Angelov B.S. Old Bulgarian text: 2. Service on Ivan Rilski // Izv. at Archivnia Institute Sofia, 1957. T. 1. P. 274-283; aka. New Life on Ivan Rilski // From Starata Balg., Russian. and Srub. Liter. Sofia, 1958. T. 1. P. 69-97; aka (Angelov B.). Un canon de St. Jean de Rila de Georges Skylitzes? //Bbl. 1969. T. 3. P. 171-185; aka. Ancient service for Ivan Rilski // Ibid. 1975. T. 2. P. 115-118 (the same // He. From the history of the old and Russian literature. Sofia, 1977. P. 50-71); Life of Ivan Rilski from Patriarch Evtimy // Christomathy according to the Old Book. Literature / Ed.: P. Dinekov, K. Kuev, D. Petkanova. Sofia, 1974. pp. 390-402; Life in Balg. world / Transl.: ep. Parthenium (Stamatov). Sofia, 1974. T. 1. S. 143-148, 156-167, 189-195; Ivanova K. Two unknowns of old literature. Lives // Literary history. Sofia, 1977. Book. 1. P. 57-65; Kozhukharov S. Service for the Dormition of Ivan Rilski: (New edition from the 13th century) // Research. vurhu istoriata and dialectite in bulg. Ez.: (Sat. in honor of corresponding member K. Mirchev). Sofia, 1979. pp. 217-234; aka. Chemnography: Service for Ivan Rilski. Canon for Ivan Rilski // Bulgarian literature and books of prez of the 13th century. Sofia, 1987. pp. 68-84; aka. Service for St. Ivan Rilski from the 10th century. // Same. Problems on the old blog. poetry. Sofia, 2004. T. 1. P. 60-74; Zlatarsky V. Georgi Skylitsa and this life written by him on St. Ivan Rilski // Aka. Favorite works. Sofia, 1984. T. 2. P. 240-266; Tomova E. Novi prolozhni verses for Ivan Rilski, Hilarion Maglenski and Petka Tarnovska in Russian. rakopisna tradition // Old Bulgarian literature. Sofia, 1985. T. 17/18. pp. 172-177; she is the same. Beloozerskat edition from the 16th century. On Tarnovskoto there is a life of St. Ivan Rilski // Christian hagiology and folklore: Sat. in honor of E. Kotsev. Sofia, 2008. pp. 38-49; Lives of Ivan Rilski / Ed., commentary: K. Ivanova // Stara Balg. Liter. Sofia, 1986. T. 4: Lives of creation; Dimitar Kantakouzin. Sabr. sich. / Ed.: B. S. Angelov et al. Sofia, 1989; Evtimy, patriarch. Sach. / Author: K. Ivanova. Sofia, 1990; Testament to St. Ivan Rilski, given to the disciples from St. Rilska monastery on March 25, 941 / Rev.: J. Ivanov. Sofia, 1994; Duychev I. Testament to St. Ivan Rilski / Ed.: V. Velinova. Sofia, 2000; Subotin-Goluboviћ T. Service of St. Ivan Rilsky from the SRP handwritten legacy // PKJIF. 2002. Year. 68/69. Kњ. 1/4. pp. 135-145; Patericon of the Bulgarian Land. M., 2008. T. 1. P. 81-113; Petkov G., Spasova M. Tarnovskata edition on Stishnia Prologue: Text, lexical index. Plovdiv, 2009. T. 2: Octomvri. pp. 58-62.

Lit.: Syrku P. A. A few notes about 2 works of the Terniv Patriarch Euthymius // Collection. articles on Slavic studies, comp. and ed. students of V.I. Lamanskago on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of his scientific and professorial activity. St. Petersburg, 1883. P. 348-401; Kovachev M. Description on St. relics and other treasures of antiquity, bring them into being in bulg. Rilski man-r. Plovdiv, 1911; aka. Hilendarskiat paraklis on St. Ivan Rilski // Motherland. 1938. Year. 1. Book. 1. pp. 213-215; Ivanov J. St. Ivan Rilski and Negoviat man-r. Sofia, 1917; aka. Vladislav Gramatik: Prenasians tyaloto on St. Ivan Rilski from Tarnovo to Rila 1469 // DK. 1920. No. 1; Varlaam, bishop Levkiyski. St. Ivan the Great Rilski Wonderworker and Negovia Man-r. Sofia, 1925; Slankamenac P. The Legend of the Journal. anachoretima // GSND. 1925. Book. 1. St. 1. S. 215-232; Nikov P. Vladislav Gramatik - Pre-Nasians pave the way to St. Ivan Rilski from Tarnovo to Rilski manor // Bulgarska ist. b-ka. Sofia, 1928. Year. 1. T. 2. P. 165-187; Smirnov S. N. Serbian saints in Russian. manuscripts // Jubilee. Sat. Rus. Archaeol. society in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. Belgrade, 1936. pp. 161-261; Trifonov Yu. Belezhki in the sky news for St. Ivana Rilski // Macedonian pregled. Sofia, 1939. Year. 11. Book. 3/4. pp. 77-112; aka. In which Nikopol they brought the relics of St. Ivan Rilski in 1469, when he was transferred from Tarnovo to Munastira // IID: Sat. in memory of prof. P. Nikov. Sofia, 1940. Book. 16/18. pp. 476-482; Snegarov I. “Testament” on St. Ivana Rilski // Ibid. pp. 462-475; Duychev I. Rilskiyat secular and negovata monastery. Sofia, 1947; Goshev I., prot. Testament to St. Ivan Rilski in svetlinata na staroblg. and to Byzantium. lit. legend from the 9th-14th centuries. // GDA. 1955. T. 4(30). pp. 429-508; Pavloviě L. Kultovi faces code of Srba and Macedonac: (Hist.-ethnogr. massacre). Smederevo, 1965. P. 20-26; Dylevsky N. M. “The Lives of John of Rylsky” in Russian. ancient repositories and their bolg. sources // TODRL. 1968. T. 23 P. 276-292; aka. Tercentenary of the first printed edition of the “Life of John of Rylsky” by the Bulgarian Patriarch Euthymius of Tarnovsky // Tarnovskaya Book School, 1371-1917: Symp., October 11-14. 1971 Sofia, 1974. pp. 127-136; aka (Dilewski N.). Lives on bulg. National St. Ivan Rilski in Starata Rus. church Knizhina: (Brief method. and bibliography of Belezhka) // DK. 1976. Year. 56. Book. 10. pp. 15-21; aka. Legend or history truth: (The ancient Russian city of Rylsk in the Chernigov land and the Bulgarian Rylsk monastery in the Balkans) // Études balkaniques. 1991. T. 2. P. 106-115; aka. “Great Lavra on the Slavic tribe” in the Balkanites and the founder of St. Ivan Rilski from the outside limit to the fatherland prez of the Middle Ages // Svetogorsk monastery Zograf. Sofia, 1999. T. 3. P. 32-43; Angelov B. S. Novi to lead the book case against Georgi Skilitsa. 1: Unknown prescription for the life of Ivan Rilski // Literary miscellaneous. Sofia, 1968. Year. 12. Book. 2. P. 113-118; aka. Narrative essay for Ivan Rilski in Starobulg. liter // He. Old Bulgarian book heritage. Sofia, 1983. pp. 186-198; Raikov B. Unknown origin of the life of Ivan Rilski // Ezik and literature. Sofia, 1970. Year. 25. Book. 3. P. 57-61; Ivanova-Konstantinova K. Unknown service to Ivan Rilski and Mikhail Voin // Izv. on in-ta for balg. ezika. Sofia, 1973. Book. 20/22. pp. 211-236; she is the same. Literary and textual observations of the life of St. Ivan Rilski from St. Patriarch Evtimy // Izv. at CIAI BP, CIAM and Bulgarian Patriarchate. Sofia, 1985. T. 3. P. 145-161; she is the same. Nay-Staroto life on St. Ivan Rilski and some Negov literary parallels // Medieval studies and cultural anthropology: Sat. in honor of the 40th anniversary of creative deinost on prof. D. Petkanova. Sofia, 1998. pp. 37-47; she is the same. For the influence on the Tarnovskat book school in Romania: (Was there a second middle edition of the Life of St. Ivan Rilski from Patriarch Evtimiy) // Doayent: Yubil. Sat., dedicated to the 100th anniversary of N. M. Dilevski. Sofia, 2004. pp. 370-394; Fekeldzhiev I. Ungarskata legend for St. Ivan Rilski and neiniyat proizhod // DK. 1974. Year. 54. Book. 7. pp. 16-23; aka. Narodni legends for Ivan Rilski. Sofia, 1979; Milev A. Gratski Lives of St. Ivan Rilski // DK. 1976. Year. 56. Book. 10. pp. 21-33; Nestor (Krastev), archimandrite. Temple illumination on St. Ivan Rilski in Russia // Ibid. Book 11. pp. 11-19; Kenanov D. Patriarch Evtimy and the unprepared life for Ivan Rilski // Literary mis. Sofia, 1977. Year. 21. Book. 9. P. 12-130; aka. Patriarch Evtimy and the hagiographic cycle for Ivan Rilski // Old Bulgarian Studies. 1978. Year. 2. Book. 2. P. 74-88; aka. Euthymia's life on St. Ivan Rilski in the hagiographic tradition // Ibid. 1992. Year. 16. Book. 1. pp. 44-57; Kozhukharov S. Lives on Ivan Rilski // Riverman on bulg. Liter. Sofia, 1977. T. 2. P. 39-40; aka. Brought to Dimitar Kantakouzin in the development of the chemnographic cycle for Ivan Rilski // Old Bulgarian literature. Sofia, 1984. T. 15. P. 74-105 (same // He. Problems in Old Literary Poetry. Sofia, 2004. T. 1. P. 227-256); Tomova E. Comparative study of the lives of St. John of Rila, St. Theodosius of Pechersk, St. Stefan Nemanja and their connections with folklore: AKD. M., 1977; she is the same. Km istoriyata na hagiographical cycle for Ivan Rilski: (Textological observations according to the prescription in Hilendarskata rukopisna collection) // Literary history. Sofia, 1984. Book. 12. P. 32-44; she is the same. Hagiographic cycle for Ivan Rilski in Russian. The tradition of prez of the 15th-17th centuries is copied. // Second international Congress on Bulgarian Studies. Sofia, 1987. Book. 11. P. 215-226; she is the same. Extensive life on St. Ivan Rilski from Georgi Skylitsa in the manuscript of the collection from the 15th-18th centuries. // In memory of P. Dinekov: Tradition, continuity, innovation: Sat. / Ed.: K. Kosev. Sofia, 2001. pp. 146-157; she is the same. Bulgarian Saint John of Rylsky: (Cult and hagiography) // Word: Kam izgrazhdane na digital library na Yuzhnoslav. Copies: (Reports from the international conference February 21-26, 2008, Sofia) / Ed.: H. Miklas, A. Miltenova. Sofia, 2008. pp. 135-165; Turilov A. A. Original Yuzhno Slavs. essays in Russian books of the XV-XVI centuries. // Theory and practice of source study and archeography of Russian history. M., 1978. P. 39-50; aka. Bulgarian and Serbian. sources on the Middle Ages. history of the Balkans in Russian. bookishness con. XIV - 1st quarter. XVI century AKD. M., 1980; aka. On the question of bolg. sources of the Russian chronograph // Chronicles and Chronicles, 1984. M., 1984. P. 20-25; aka. South Slavic monuments in literature and literature of Moscow and Lithuanian Rus' XV - 1st half. XVI century: Paradoxes of the history and geography of cultural connections // Slavic almanac, 2000. M., 2001. P. 247-285; Hristova B. Unknown verse life of Ivan Rilski // Izv. at NBKM. Sofia, 1981. Book. 16(22). pp. 311-319; she is the same. Rilska story // StBL. 1992. pp. 392-393; Danchev G. Question for rewriting and editing the story on Rilskata by Vladislav Gramatik // Russian-Balkan culture vrazki prez Medieval. Sofia, 1982. P. 89-101; aka. The closeness and differences in the episode of the unrealized meeting between St. Ivan Rilski and Tsar Peter in the Lives of the Rilskiya Svetets // Izv. on East museum for 1993. Kyustendil, 1998. Year. 5. No. 2. P. 71-76; Swoboda W. Ziwoty Jana Rylskiego // Słownik starożytności słowiańskih: Suppl. Wrocław, 1982. T. 1/7. S. 300-302; Bakalova E. Kum interpretata na nayrannia zhitien tsikul for Ivan Rilski in fine art // KMS. 1986. T. 3. P. 146-154; Bulanin D. On the interpretation of “The People’s Life” by John of Rilsky // Old Bulgarian Studies. 1987. Year. 11. Book. 3. P. 57-67; Yankova V. “The People’s Life on Ivan Rilski” and Negovata Damaskinarskaya Rework // Literary Miscellaneous. Sofia, 1990. Year. 34. Book. 4. pp. 138-147; she is the same. For two hundred copies on “People’s Life on Ivan Rilski” from the 15th century. // Bulgarian culture of the 15th century: Sat. report Sofia, 1993. pp. 155-160; she is the same. St. Tsar Peter and St. Ivan Rilski: Istoriata on a single motive // ​​God and the Tsar in Balg. history: Mat-li conf. Plovdiv, 1996. pp. 159-166; Stoinev A. St. Ivan Rilski, official Christianity and Bogomilism. Sofia, 1991; Panteleimon (Poulos), archimandrite. St. Ivan Rilski, the eternal heavenly patron of Bulg. people: He has an extensive biography on Svetets with multiple times. adj. for wanderings and wonders in the world of power and for history in Rilski manor. Sofia, 1992; Zhdrakov Z. Prenasyaneto on the paving stones of St. Ivan Rilski prez 1469 in Svetlinata na ist. shooting down // Bulgarian 15th century: Sat. report Sofia, 1993. pp. 85-92; Dinekov P. Ivan Rilski // KME. 1995. T. 2. P. 25-33; Bayramova M.D. Eternal monk: 1050 from the Dormition of St. Ivan Rilski / Comp.: T. Slavova, I. Dobrev. Sofia, 1997; Grudkov V. St. Ivan Rilski in hagiography from the edge to XII - beginning. in the 13th century // Epochs: History. write-off Vel. Tarnovo, 1997. Year. 5. Book. 1/2. pp. 261-265; aka. Heavenly man and earthly angel: Life cycle for St. Ivan Rilski - literary interpretation: (Biblical metatext, hagiographical context, autonomy). Vel. Tarnovo, 2001; Pencheva S., Nikolov N. For the Prescription to the Testament of St. Yoan Rilski // Old Bulgarian Studies. 1997. Year. 21. No. 3. P. 77-93; Petkova I. Life on St. Yoan Rilski from type to visokata hagiography in context to the problem of importation to metaphrasticata in Bulgaria // Nauchni trudovoe VVOU V. Levski. Vel. Tarnovo, 1997. Book. 54. pp. 179-183; Spasova M. Narodno e Narodnoto (Bezimento) life on St. Ioan Rilski? // Ibid. 1998. Year. 22. No. 4. P. 50-74; Podskalsky G. Die Vereherung des hl. Johannes (Joann) von Rila in Bulgarien und in der Slavia Orthodoxa // OCP. 1998. Vol. 64. P. 159-173; idem. Theologische Literatur des Mittelalters in Bulgarien und Serbien, 865-1459. Münch., 2000. P. 105-108, 187, 208-210, 288-293, 308-311, 349-352, 437-438, 452-454; Gyuzelev V. “A great luminary for the holy cause”: (St. Ivan Rilski in the measurement of his time) // Svetogorsk monastery Zograf. Sofia, 1999. T. 3. P. 13-24; Gonis D. Gratski lives and services on St. Ivan Rilski // Ibid. pp. 111-156 (same // Tarnovskaya knizhovna school. Vel. Tarnovo, 1999. T. 6. pp. 131-153); Koev T. St. Ivan or Ioan // Svetogorsk monastery Zograf. 1999. T. 3. P. 61-65; Tapkova-Zaimova V., Boycheva P. Some devils from the image on St. Ivan Rilski // Ibid. pp. 53-60; Popgeorgiev M. Orthodox Divine Service for St. Ivan Rilski. Ruse, 2000; Rilskiyat man-r / Ed.: M. Koeva. Sofia, 2000; Hilyada hundred godini kult km sv. Ivan Rilski: [Material from the international. scientific conf. "St. Ivan Rilski and man-rskata culture in the Middle Ages. Europe", Sofia, October 19-21. 1996] / Author: R. R. Malchev, K. Rangochev. Sofia, 2000; Gagova N., Shpadijer I. Two variants of the anchorite type in journals. hagiography: (Theodosijevo Life of St. Peter Koriškog and Jevtimijjevo Life of St. Jovan Rilskog) // Slovenian Middle Ages. successor: Zb. dedicated to prof. Ђ. Trifunovic. Beograd, 2001. pp. 159-175; Kaliganov I. I. Several unexplored aspects of the life of Ivan Rilsky: (Edited by the Byzantine writer of the 12th century George Skylitsa) // Becoming famous. world and Byzantium in the Middle Ages: Slavs and their neighbors: XX conf. in memory of V. D. Korolyuk: Sat. abstract M., 2001; Lepakhin V. "People's" life of St. John of Rylsky as an author’s work // Old Bulgarian Studies. year 2001. 25. Book. 4. P. 27-48; Pavlov P. Vzkata on St. Yoan Rilski - Sredets, Triaditsa, Sofia: Possibility for theology.-ist. tulkuvan // DK. year 2001. 81. No. 2. P. 9-12; Aleksiev J. For svettsite - patrons of the capital Tarnov: (Opit for localization on the tsarkvite, in koito sa se pazel pazheli pashite em) // Tarnovskaya knizhovna school. Vel. Tarnovo, 2002. T. 7; Genova E. Tsarkvata at the tomb of St. Yoan Rilski // GSU, TsSVP for 2001. Sofia, 2002. T. 91(10). pp. 133-146; Malchev R. Newly open the cycle of folklore legends for St. Ivan Rilski // Ibid. pp. 163-167; Todorov T. Koga sa beat the relics to St. Ivan Rilski in Sredets? // Ibid. pp. 169-180; Dobrev I. Canonite for St. Ivan Rilski from Georgi Skilitsa // Old Bulgarian Studies. 2002. Year. 26. No. 3. P. 3-12; aka. For native meat on St. Ivan Rilski // Sat. in honor of prof. A. Davidov on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of mu. Vel. Tarnovo, 2004; aka. St. Ivan Rilski. Linz, 2007. Book. 1. (Altbulgarische Stud.; 5); Spasova V. Kam voprosa za talkuvaneto na zhitiyata na Ivan Rilski kato izvor za negoviya belly and deinost // Izv. on East museum for 2002 Kyustendil, 2003. T. 7. P. 43-48; Cheshmedzhiev D. Kultovete na bulg. svetsi prez XI-XII centuries. // Science of labor / Plovdiv University Paisiy Hilendarski. Plovdiv, 2003. T. 41. Book. 1. P. 495-503; Belov G.I. St. Ivan Rilski. Blagoevgrad, 2004; Nikolova B. The Testament of Ioan Rilski — Desired but Nonexistent Oldbulgarian Monument of 40s of Х Cent. // Bulgarian Historical Review. Sofia, 2004. God. 32. Kn. 3/4. P. 4-41; aka (Nikolova B.). Testament to St. Yoan Rilski: For mitovite and realite // Starobulgarska lit-ra. 2006. Book. 35/36. pp. 144-166; Vachev H. Tsarkvata “St. Ivan Rilski" and the metropolitan complex at the Church of "St. Peter and Pavel" in Tarnovo // Prof. S. Vaklinov and the Middle Ages. bblg. culture: Material from the anniversary. international scientific Conf., May 18-20, 2001 Vel. Tarnovo, 2005; Radoslavova D. Kultat km St. Ivan Rilski, reflected in the book. Copies from the 17th century. // Ibid. 2005. Book. 33/34. pp. 247-262; Todorova G. St. Ivan Rilski: Vyara and victory. Vel. Tarnovo, 2006; Spassky F. G. Russian liturgical creativity. M., 2008. pp. 27-30.

K. Ivanova, D. Cheshmedzhiev, A. A. Turilov

Iconography

There are quite a lot of images of St. John of Rila. They are found both on icons and on frescoes, walls of vestibules, and facades of temples. Many frescoes depict scenes from the life of the saint.

On icons the monk is depicted either in full height or waist-length. In some images, John of Rila’s head is uncovered, his gray hair is cut short, and his beard is long, forking at the end. The earliest icon with a half-length depiction of the saint dates back to the first half of the 14th century.

The old man represented on it:

• high forehead;
• long gray beard;
• on the head is the headdress of the monks - kukol;
• John holds a cross with his right hand, and a scroll with his left.

There are also images in which the miracle worker holds a T-shaped (abbot) staff in his hand. In some churches, the image of John of Rila can also be seen on religious banners and the vestments of clergy.

Prayer book

The hymnographic cycle dedicated to John of Rylsky includes many prayer texts. These are canons, troparia, kontakion, akathist, sedalny, luminary.

The reason for the creation of such a large number of sacred works was the repeated transfer of relics, the establishment of new days of celebration, and the creation of various centers of veneration of the saint.

Prayer

O great and wonderful miracle worker, St. John, accept our prayer and do not turn away from us who have come running to your intercession: never did you turn away from those who came to you with their sorrows in the days of your earthly life; We know that you showed signs of mercy even after your repose as Orthodox people! Hear us now, overwhelmed by the great sorrows that have come upon us in these evil days, when the devil, through his destructive machinations, strives to trample the Holy Church, and to deprive us of eternal salvation and the blessings of temporal life! Ask us from the Lord Jesus Christ for forgiveness of sins, and especially the sin of disobedience to our Mother Church! Grant us contrition of heart, so that with tenderness we steadily approach the holy Sacrament of Repentance, so that the communion of the Body and Blood of Christ will not lead us to condemnation and destruction, but to health and salvation. Drive away from us the spirit of brotherly hatred, give us the spirit of love and peace for the fraternal unity of all your people! Unite us all with love for Christ and His Orthodox Church, so that by observing His saving will, we will be true children of God! Be a guide to us all our days, For ever in the grace of the Holy Spirit we may keep our faith in purity and do the will of the Lord until death! At the hour of our death, we appear to present our souls to the Throne of the Divine Judge and say to Him: “Behold, I and my children,” for having been delivered from eternal torment by your intercession, we will inherit the ineffable bliss of the Heavenly Kingdom of Christ together with you and all the saints forever and ever. Amen.

Troparion

Having humbled the body with polishing,/ but exalted the soul with singing,/ the chosen vessel appeared to the Holy Spirit,/ John, our Father,/ lived in the purity of your heart, O Reverend One./ Thus, having boldness towards the Lord,/ pray for our souls to be saved.

Troparion

The basis of repentance, the prescription of tenderness, / an image of consolation, spiritual fulfillment / your life was equal to the angels, reverend. / Abiding in prayers and in fasting and in tears, / Father John, / pray to Christ God for our souls.

Akathist

Kontakion 1

Chosen by God and admirable in life, St. John, having loved Christ from his youth, you walked close to Him; for the sake of your great deeds and tears, the outpourings of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, you were enriched. Moreover, as we have great boldness towards the Holy Trinity, we please you, asking: free us from all troubles, calling:

Rejoice, Venerable John, wonderworker of Rylsky, glory and joy are ours.

Ikos 1

You were an earthly angel and a heavenly man, St. John. How then can we praise your glory worthily, though we are overcome by many infirmities? But put a song of praise into the mouth of us who call:

Rejoice, born of pious parents; Rejoice, you who were brought up well by them in the passion of God.

Rejoice, you who never departed from the Church from infancy; Rejoice, thou who hast gained the blessed mind through sacred teachings.

Rejoice, faithful guardian of the Lord's commandments; Rejoice, diligent worker of unceasing fastings and vigils.

Rejoice, having distributed your inheritance to the poor after the death of your parents; Rejoice, for the sake of living a good life, you have raised up persecution from evil men.

Rejoice, you who have endured unrighteous slander; Rejoice, you who bore annoyances with meekness.

Rejoice, you who followed Christ with the love of the seraphim; Rejoice, for her sake the path of Narrow Monasticism was chosen.

Rejoice, Venerable John, wonderworker of Rylsky, glory and joy are ours.

Kontakion 2

Seeing the vanity of this world, Reverend John, you were irrevocably determined to turn away from it; Nothing can separate you from Christ: neither the bonds of kinship, nor your youth, nor the glory of this world and beauty. For this, having counted everything for nothing, Like trees on springs of water, you rose up to God, crying out to Him: Alleluia.

Ikos 2

You submitted to the divine mind, O blessed one, when you saw the Lord in a dream vision, commanding you to come out of your land and showing you the place of your salvation, and having despised everything in the world, you moved into the Ruensky monastery, where you received the monastic image. For this reason we cry out to you like this:

Rejoice, lover of monastic life; Rejoice, you who desire to fight against sin even to the point of death.

Rejoice, having put aside worldly lusts along with your hair; Rejoice, striving with an insatiable thirst for monastic feats.

Rejoice, reaching out to the front and consigning the back to oblivion; Rejoice, you who have found the sweetness of solitary living within yourself.

Rejoice, lover of desert life for the sake of divine love; Rejoice, for the sake of guilt you left the place of your tonsure.

Rejoice, you who came to the mountain in a vision revealed to you; Rejoice, having nothing, instilling more pride in yourself.

Rejoice, wondrous desert dweller; Rejoice, imitator of John the Baptist.

Rejoice, Venerable John, wonderworker of Rylsky, glory and joy are ours.

Kontakion 3

By the power of the Holy Spirit, you have settled in the desert, John, to lead a silent life, to converse with God without restraint, to glorify Him in an angelic way, to be illuminated by the rays of the Divine light, and for all people and the world to pray to the Savior God, singing to Him everlastingly: Alleluia.

Ikos 3

Having a fiery desire for the vision of God of Moses, reverend, you ascended the mountain to perceive the manifestations of the divine glory, Whom the eye did not see and the ear did not hear, and Whom the heart of man did not sigh. And who will be able to express all your deeds, created in silence? But we, marveling at your life, cry out to you:

Rejoice, you have laid the burden of a great feat on your shoulders; Rejoice, having astonished the Angels with your life.

Rejoice, for you fed yourself not with bread, but with herbs; Rejoice, and even after the setting of the sun you ate very little of that.

Rejoice, you who quenched my thirst with water in moderation; Rejoice, together with the prophet “you had cattle” crying out to God.

Rejoice, for you have flowed streams of tears from your eyes; Rejoice, for you have continually sent your prayers to God.

Rejoice, having purified yourself of these exploits from passions; Rejoice, thou shalt frighten and put to shame the demons in the animal form.

Rejoice, adamante, indestructible by the wiles of the enemy; Rejoice, you were always with God in all temptations and misfortunes.

Rejoice, Venerable John, wonderworker of Rylsky, glory and joy are ours.

Kontakion 4

Having desired to tame the storm of demonic misfortunes, you moved into a certain very dark cave, Reverend John, enslaving your body and deprived of the light of the sun, so that you would not lose the Divine Light in the Kingdom of your Lord and may you eat there with all the saints: Alleluia.

Ikos 4

Hearing about you, reverend, the son of your brother, Luke the Youth, and his parents hid himself, he came to you in the desert and through you we instruct you in understanding your exploits. We are terrified by the power of your grace, crying out to you:

Rejoice, you who illuminated your Yuzhik with the Divine Light; Rejoice, little child who became a desert dweller.

Rejoice, from the malice of the ancients, for the sake of attacking a new one; Rejoice, you who endured slander in the kidnapping of the Youth.

Rejoice, you who suffered reproach from your brother; Rejoice, having strengthened the child that was torn from you with blessing.

Rejoice, you who put the devil to shame through your tearful prayer; Rejoice, You united by the death of the serpent with the Lord.

Rejoice, heavenly bloom on the stones of the Rylsky mountains; Rejoice, you have been abundantly filled with living water from the Divine Stone.

Rejoice, Mystery of God, who did not hide in the desert; Rejoice, lamp of Christ, enlightened in the darkness of the cave.

Rejoice, Venerable John, wonderworker of Rylsky, glory and joy are ours.

Kontakion 5

Holy men are like a more godly star: not only do they themselves march to Christ, but they also show other people the path of salvation. For this reason, the all-evil one creates misfortune for them, just as he did for you, John: for a robber in the form of a thief attacked you, and having beaten you, he drove you away from the first cave. Then you entered the deep Rylsk desert, you settled in the hollow of a great oak tree, glorifying the great works of your Lord and singing to Him: Alleluia.

Ikos 5

Seeing the Lord, such a bitterness of yours, reverend, commanded the earth to grow saplings for you to eat; Glorious are you, the shepherd who found yourself near that desert, and we, together with those who saw your wondrous deeds, cry out to you like this:

Rejoice, received great suffering from demons; Rejoice, invincible warrior of Christ.

Rejoice, you are not completely embittered by them; Rejoice, covered with the almighty cover of Christ.

Rejoice, glorified by the Lord before the shepherds; Rejoice, those who have found your life involuntarily known.

Rejoice, you who have nourished them with wonderful grains; Rejoice, having miraculously taught them those who departed.

Rejoice, you who were preached to other people by them; Rejoice, you who did not hide the gifts of God from those who came to you.

Rejoice, you who healed the grievously suffering demon through tearful prayer; Rejoice, having placed all your hope in God for the accomplishment of this miracle.

Rejoice, Venerable John, wonderworker of Rylsky, glory and joy are ours.

Kontakion 6

Preachers must be thy humility, Reverend John, revealed before the healing of the demonic in your prayer: “Merciful God, I am not worthy to call Your name with unclean lips!” For this reason, we strive to pray to the Lord in humility and sing to Him: Alleluia.

Ikos 6

I brought forth great miracles, and brought to you the greatest faith and love among the people of Orthodoxy. But your glory passed through the whole Bulgarian country, you rose up from the oak tree, running to the glory of man. Moreover, for the sake of your humility, we please you:

Rejoice, lover of divine humility; Rejoice, you who hated human glory.

Rejoice, you who listen to the voice of Christ, calling to humility; Rejoice, you who always keep the words of Scripture, not to us, but to the Name of God, who give glory.

Rejoice, you who have achieved great heights and have not seen any good deeds in yourself; Rejoice, thou fruitful tree whose branches bend down, like unto the former.

Rejoice, in humility to David, who said, “I am a worm and not a man,” out of jealousy; Rejoice, together with the prophet Isaiah, “O accursed one,” crying out.

Rejoice, thou who hast been called the first sinner with the Apostle; Rejoice, in your humility imitating the Lord Himself.

Rejoice, you who valiantly resisted vanity; Rejoice, for this is as the dust of the earth has been trampled underfoot.

Rejoice, Venerable John, wonderworker of Rylsky, glory and joy are ours.

Kontakion 7

I want this great suffering to raise your fiery love for Christ, you became like the wondrous stylite Simeon, ascending on a stone, the Venerable John, in the days and nights like an incorporeal prayer, soaking the stone with tears and wanting to talk only to God. Looking at this feat, we glorify the Almighty God in you, wondrous and sing to Him: Alleluia.

Ikos 7

Your new exploit, blessed one, the devil, unable to bear, will take with him a legion of demons, who have fallen from stone into the deep abyss of the overthrower. But you rose with great difficulty, and then you ascended the stone to say your prayers and invite those who marvel to call you:

Rejoice, you who have acquired great love for Christ; Rejoice, for this sake you suffered from the demonic regiments.

Rejoice, you did not impute this suffering to anything; Rejoice, you who loved Christ more than your life.

Rejoice, you who were separated from Christ by nothing; Rejoice, beloved for this sake.

Rejoice, thou art worthy of the service of angels; Rejoice, you who fed on bread from the hand of an Angel.

Rejoice, conquering all the devil's temptations through love for Christ; Rejoice, for by this you have kept all the commandments of Christ.

Rejoice, for the sake of love you seek only the glory of God; Rejoice, for this sake you have been glorified by the Lord.

Rejoice, Venerable John, wonderworker of Rylsky, glory and joy are ours.

Kontakion 8

The strange way of your life, your great humility and love for Christ have increased in you the grace that was bestowed upon you in the baptism of Christ for the sake of the passion and death of the cross. For this sake, the Lord has created a spiritual sun for the Orthodox Church, so that by you its children may be enlightened to salvation and may they cry out to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 8

You were all a chosen vessel of God's grace, great John, the Baptist's word was filled with you, that God gives the Spirit beyond measure. What grace-filled gifts has God not crowned you with? What manifestations of grace has your life not been filled with? Looking at you, we offer you these praises:

Rejoice, you who have acquired the gift of Christ’s humility; Rejoice, you who have gained grace and tears of tenderness.

Rejoice, adorned with purity and chastity from God; Rejoice, illuminated by miraculous faith.

Rejoice, you who not only believed in Christ, but also suffered for Him; Rejoice, crowned with the gift of jealousy according to God.

Rejoice, filled with love for your neighbors; Rejoice, thou granted the gift of divine knowledge.

Rejoice, radiant with the gift of clairvoyance; Rejoice, you who have the gift of unceasing prayer.

Rejoice, having preserved to the end the hope of future bliss; Rejoice, you are still anticipating this bliss in this life.

Rejoice, Venerable John, wonderworker of Rylsky, glory and joy are ours.

Kontakion 9

I will receive every gift of the Holy Spirit, O Reverend John, having reached your message from the pious Tsar Peter, who longed to see you and sent nine men to you. You, understanding their greedy being in spirit, fed them with little bread, and having seen this glorious miracle, I cried out to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 9

The branches of this world do not understand how Tsar Peter, who came in his glory, rushed to you with gifts, blessed one, and they were greatly saddened, not being able to approach your shrine through the rapids for the sake of the mountains; but we, remembering the words of the Lord, spoken to all people, “seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness,” we cry to you:

Rejoice, for you have achieved the Kingdom of Heaven on earth; Rejoice, for this kingdom has come in power, the Lord reveal it.

Rejoice, for you have shown the Kingdom of God in the acquisition of grace to people; Rejoice, barefoot in the flesh you hid the bliss of heaven within yourself.

Rejoice, for having acquired valuable beads, you have shown the vanity of temporary blessings; Rejoice, for you had truth and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Rejoice, for you have eclipsed the royal glory with the radiance of grace; Rejoice, for although you have a heavenly treasure, you have not received the royal gifts.

Rejoice, for you promised to see each other in the Kingdom of Heaven to Tsar Peter; Rejoice, for in your Scripture you warned the king to be merciful and to be obedient to the Church.

Rejoice, for you taught the king to repent; Rejoice, for for the sake of repentance you predicted the eternal kingdom for him.

Rejoice, Venerable John, wonderworker of Rylsky, glory and joy are ours.

Kontakion 10

To save yourself to the end from the machinations of the enemy, St. John, you remained in the ascetic struggle of standing on a stone for seven years and four months. Many people, being jealous of you, created a church and monastery near your stone, having the first ruler and shepherd, and from there a song of praise to God would ever be sent out: Alleluia.

Ikos 10

The wall will be insurmountable and your humility will be even unto death, blessed John; Realizing the time of your departure, you offered up a tearful prayer to God, saying: “Father Almighty, I have done nothing good on earth! For this reason, I pray to You to command the good Angel to come, so that the rising from the spirits of wickedness will not be forbidden to me! Lord, I commend my spirit into Your hands!” And this river, Abi gave up the ghost. We, marveling at this righteous repose, thus please you:

Rejoice, teach us through your life and outcome; Rejoice, thou who art above be wise, and not call us upon earth.

Rejoice, you who have shared with yourself no worldly pleasures; Rejoice, you who have received a blessed death from God.

Rejoice, ever thinking about death in your belly; Rejoice, having fulfilled the words of the Apostle “I am dying all the days”.

Rejoice, thou who desired death with the Apostle Paul; Rejoice, be allowed to be with Christ ever since you have the desire.

Rejoice, having prepared yourself for death with tears and prayers; Rejoice, for this reason you came from death not to judgment, but to life.

Rejoice, having shared eternal joy with Christ after death; Rejoice, you who have acquired great boldness before God.

Rejoice, Venerable John, wonderworker of Rylsky, glory and joy are ours.

Kontakion 11

The time has come to please you with the singing of a prayer service, the incense has begun to flow from your tomb, Reverend John. For this reason, your tomb was opened and your body became incorruptible and filled with fragrance. From there, many miracles are performed from your relics for the healing of those who come running to you and cry out to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 11

The Lord, O Reverend, has revealed the light-receiving light to you, and the temple of the Holy Spirit, and has kept your body free from corruption. Looking at this grace, we glorify you:

Rejoice, through your incorruptibility you proclaim the omnipotence of God; Rejoice, transforming the immortality of bodies after the general resurrection.

Rejoice, through your incorruption you have revealed the glory of God in the Church; Rejoice, you who affirmed the Truth of the resurrection of the dead.

Rejoice, after death you appeared to the abbot of the Rylsky monastery in a dream; Rejoice, your relics were brought to the city of Sredets as commanded.

Rejoice, you who have created wondrous miracles here; Rejoice, you have brought a great sign to the city of Thorns.

Rejoice, you who shed grace from your relics in capital cities; Rejoice, and in captivity you were terrible by the forces of all.

Rejoice, you who granted healing to King Manuel of Greece; Rejoice, you who have bound and opened the tongue of the Bishop of Ostrigom.

Rejoice, Venerable John, wonderworker of Rylsky, glory and joy are ours.

Kontakion 12

Great grace was bestowed upon you by the Lord for your much love, wonderful servant of God, Reverend Our Father John, to heal ailments, to enlighten those who have gone astray, and to bring salvation to all who ask. In the same way, thanking the Lord, who has given us to you, we always call to Him: Alleluia.

Ikos 12

Singing a song to you, we are perplexed, how can all your wondrous deeds be portrayed as weak by words, reverend! Seeing that you are great among the saints of God, we dare to praise you, calling:

Rejoice, thou admirable in struggles and labors; Rejoice, glorified by God through you.

Rejoice, shining forth far beyond the Bulgarian Church; Rejoice, honored by other Orthodox Churches.

Rejoice, dwelling as an imperishable right hand in the Russian Church; Rejoice, shining through the grace of the great fathers of the Church.

Rejoice, you revealed the exploits of Saints Anthony and Macarius; Rejoice, you who foreshadowed the deeds of the Russian luminaries Sergius and Seraphim.

Rejoice, glorified by the King of Ungar; Rejoice, and from the sultans of Tours, venerable one.

Rejoice, hitherto revered in the monastery of the Rylstei by the faithful and the unfaithful; Rejoice, glorified by all for your great miracles.

Rejoice, Venerable John, wonderworker of Rylsky, glory and joy are ours.

Testament of St. John of Rila

Venerable John of Rila

I, humble and sinful Ivan, who had not done any good deed on earth, when I came to this Rylsk desert, did not find a person in it, but only wild animals and impenetrable wilds. And he settled here with the animals, having neither food nor a roof over his head, but the sky was my cover, the earth was my bed, and the grass was my food. But the good God, because of whose love I despised everything and endured hunger and thirst, frost and heat and bodily nakedness, did not abandon me at all, but, as a merciful and child-loving Father, abundantly satisfied all my needs. And how will I repay the Lord for all that He has given me? Numerous are His benefits to me, for from His holy height He looked mercifully on my humility and helped me to endure everything - not to me, but to the power of Christ that is in me - for from Him every good gift, and every perfect gift comes down from above (cf. James 1:17).

And when I see you today gathered in the Lord here, where, as I have already said, until now no man has lived, but only wild animals, and foreseeing that the end of my life here will soon come, I decided to leave you with the present before my departure from this life. my paternal testament, just as fathers in the flesh leave their children an earthly inheritance of silver and gold and other property, so that, remembering your father in the Holy Spirit, you do not forget his testament.

I know, beloved children in the Lord, I know well that you, being beginners, are still not established in monastic life. But do not be afraid, for the power of God is revealed in weakness. It is because of this that I decided to write you this rude and unlearned testament, so that you, having it always in your memory, would be strengthened physically and mentally in the Lord and grow in virtues in the fear of God. For I believe in my God, Whom I have served since my youth and have zealously submitted to Him, that after my departure this desert, which hitherto was terrible and uninhabited, will be inhabited by many desert dwellers, and what is written about it will be fulfilled: the children left behind are many more than the one who has a husband (cf. Isa. 54:1).

For this reason, I ask you, my children whom I have gathered in the Lord, do not neglect the instruction of your father, and together with the apostle I say: “Again I am in torment until Christ is formed in you” (Gal. 4:19). I ask you and conjure you in the terrible name of God, do not violate or leave anything of it after my death, but do everything that I have written exactly as you promised before God. And whoever transgresses or violates any of it, let him be cursed and excommunicated from the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and let him have no share with the saints who pleased God, but let his share be with those who crucified the Lord of glory, and with Judas, his betrayer, may he be blotted out from the book of the living, and may not be written with the righteous.

And, first of all, I bequeath you to keep the holy faith immaculate and unaffected by any evil thoughts, as you received it from the holy fathers, without delving into alien and different teachings. Stand strong and hold on to the traditions that you have heard and seen from me. Do not turn aside to the right or to the left, but follow the royal path. Take care of yourself from secular hobbies and always remember why you left the world and despised it and worldly affairs.

For a monk, wealth is not silver and gold, but complete poverty, renunciation of one’s will and sublime humility

And most of all, flee from the money-loving snake, for the love of money is the root of all evil, according to the apostle, who calls it the second idolatry. For for a monk, wealth is not silver and gold, but complete poverty, renunciation of one’s will and sublime humility. I do not tell you this as my commandment, but I remind you of the commandments of Christ. For He says to His holy disciples, and through them to all who have renounced the world: “Have neither gold, nor silver, nor scrip, nor copper money in your belt” (cf. Matt. 10:9). For gold and silver are the great enemies of the monk and, like a snake, they bite the one who has them. If we have undoubted hope in God, then He will not leave us deprived of anything, for He Himself says: “Even if a woman forgets her children, I will not forget you” (cf. Is. 49:15) . And in another place: “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and the rest will be added to you” (cf. Matt. 6:33). For at the beginning, when I came to this desert, the evil one tried to tempt me with the love of money - since the pious king sent me a lot of gold. When I refused to see him for the sake of the Lord, I realized that this was the deceit of the devil. And I did not accept it, but returned it to the one who sent it, because I thought this to myself: if I wanted to have gold and silver and similar things, then why then did I come to this terrible and impenetrable desert, where I did not find a person? , but only wild animals - and thus got rid of the wiles of the evil tempter, who tries to stumble us in those things that we voluntarily refused. That's why you don't look for any of these things. For your Heavenly Father knows even before you pray what you need.

Also, do not strive to be known and loved by earthly kings and princes and do not succumb to them, leaving the Heavenly King, to Whom you swore an oath to be warriors and to fight not according to flesh and blood, but against the ruler of the darkness of this age. After all, the prophet Jeremiah warns us, saying the following: “Cursed be the man who trusts in man” (cf. Jer. 17:5) and so on. Enumerating all the evils that come from this, he adds that blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord. Do not say: what we will eat, or what we will drink, or what we will wear. For the pagans seek all these things. Look at the birds of the air, which neither sow nor reap, nor gather into barns, but your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not above the birds? (cf. Matt. 6:26) Since you have already left the world once, do not return back either in body or in mind, for no one, according to what is written, who looks back with his hand on a ploughshare, will receive the Kingdom of Heaven (cf. Luke 49, 62). But the apostle also teaches us to forget what is behind and strive for what is ahead of us. What does this mean, my children: to forget what is behind us? Nothing else but to consign in every possible way to the depths of oblivion everything that - leaving the world for the sake of God - we left and despised, and strive for the feat that lies before us, to which we are called by our founder - our most gracious God, our Lord Jesus Christ, Who has vouchsafed us bear His good yoke, for His yoke is easy and His burden is light (cf. Matt. 11:30).

A sociable stay is in many ways more beneficial for monks than a solitary stay

And just as you were brought together by the grace of the Holy Spirit, so you try to live with one accord and one mind, breathing alike, directing your gaze only to the eternal reward that God has prepared for those who loved Him. A communal stay is in many ways more beneficial for monks than a solitary stay. For solitary things are not suitable for many, but only for very few people who are perfect in all monastic virtues. A common life is generally useful for everyone, just as the books of our fathers speak and teach us enough. The Spirit-speaking prophet David praises him, saying: “How good and how beautiful it is for brothers to live together” (cf. Ps. 132.2). One church hymn-writer, moved by the Spirit, echoes this: “For in this the Lord promised eternal life.” But does not our good Lord Jesus Christ Himself say with His most pure lips: “Where two or three are gathered in My name, there am I in the midst of them” (cf. Matt. 18:20)? And our God-bearing fathers speak of solitary living: “Woe to the lonely, for if he falls, there will be no one to lift him up” (cf. Eccl. 4:10).

That is why, children, since the Holy Spirit through the mouth of the prophet praises the common life, then do not neglect it, but, on the contrary, strengthen it and be like one and only body in the Lord, which has different members, some forming the head that has command, and others are the legs, which are those who work and wear, while others are other parts of the body, so that from all of them a single spiritual body is formed in the Lord, led and controlled by one rational and verbal soul - that is, spiritual reasoning - and there is no nothing divided. And when such abiding and living according to the Lord is established, then He Himself will be among you, ruling you invisibly.

Do not seek primacy and authority, but remember the One who said: “He who wants to be greatest among you must be a servant of all” (cf. Matt. 20:25). Choose mentors for yourself and appoint for yourself leaders whom God will show you, that is, men who are attested by all in spiritual deeds and who are superior to everyone in intelligence and spiritual reasoning and years, so that they will feed well and pleasingly the flock entrusted to them in the pastures of piety and the life-giving commandments of Christ. For such it is appropriate to seek confirmation more from God than from their own opinion. If, as our great father and monastic mentor St. Ephraim the Syrian says, you all desire leadership and intercession, and to be all abbots, and mentors, and interpreters, and teachers, and rivalries, discord, strife, jealousy, slander arise among you, arrogance, envy and other passions unsuitable for monks, then know positively that Christ is not among you, for Christ is not the teacher of discord and disagreement, but of peace and unity.

If discord arises among you, then know positively that Christ is not among you, for Christ is not the teacher of discord and disagreement

For He prays to God and the Father and for His holy disciples, that they may be one, that is, like-minded, and also all who through them believe in Him, and says: “Holy Father, preserve them in Thy name, that they may be one.” , just as We are one” (cf. John 17:11). And in another place: “I pray not only for these, but also for all who believe in Me according to their words, that they may all be one” (cf. John 17:20). So you too be one, have peace among yourself, for He says to His disciples: “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you” (John 14:27). What is this world of Christ like, children? – He Himself points out again, saying: “I do not give as the world gives” (John 14:27). But this peace of Christ surpasses any mind. This is the world about which the prophet speaks: “And its peace has no limits” (Is. 9: 7). But the apostle also teaches us, saying: “Have peace and holiness, for without this no one will see God” (cf. Heb. 12:14). Have such peace among yourself, and with great unanimity and reasoning, arrange everything according to God, so as not to anger your good Master God.

If there is anyone among you who will sow tares, discord and other temptations, then remove him immediately from your congregation, so that it does not turn into a corrosive fever, according to the apostle, and evil does not spread among the good, and some the root of bitterness would not have sprouted, would not have done evil, and through this many would not have been defiled. And an evil wolf would not disturb the peaceful flock of Christ, for such will also appear. Christ predicts about them, saying: “For it is necessary that temptations should appear, and woe to the world because of the temptation” (cf. Matt. 18:7). Therefore, you, children, beware of such things and do not allow them into your environment; but turn them far away from you, just as a shepherd drives out bad sheep from a pure flock.

Living together for the sake of the Lord and bearing each other your burdens, do not neglect those who live in solitude, and wander in deserts, and in caves, and in the abysses of the earth - of whom the whole world was not worthy (cf. Heb. 11:38) , - but supply them when you can, so that you may have in them prayer books before God, for the prayer of a righteous person can achieve much.

Adhere firmly to church rules, not abandoning or despising anything that was established by the holy fathers

Study the law of the Lord day and night, read the books of the fathers often and try to be imitators of our holy fathers Anthony, Theodosius and others, who shone like luminaries in the world with their good deeds. Adhere firmly to the church rule, not abandoning or despising anything that was established by the holy fathers.

Let manual labor not be neglected by you, but let it always be in your hands, and let the prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner,” be constantly in your mouth, as well as in your mind - a mortal memory. This was the act of the ancient desert fathers, and they did not eat their bread in vain; and not only did they feed themselves by the labor of their hands, but they also gave to those in need, and so they were not deceived in their hope. For, as the apostle says, it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, and not by food from which those who lived by it did not benefit. And he says: “Let brotherly love endure, do not forget love of hospitable people, for through it some, without knowing it, entertained angels” (cf. Heb. 13:2).

Confirm the newly enlightened people from your own blood in the faith and instruct them to abandon obscene pagan customs and evil morals, which they adhere to even after accepting the holy faith. But they do this out of simplicity and therefore need admonition.

I have much more to tell you, my beloved children in the Lord, but it is impossible to write everything. I commend you to the One who is the source of all wisdom and reason and the true Comforter - the Holy and Life-giving Spirit, so that He Himself may give you wisdom, enlighten you, enlighten you, teach you and guide you in every good deed.

And now I leave you our beloved brother Gregory as a mentor and leader in my place, about whom you all testify that he is fit to rule you well and according to God, and you unanimously elect him as your leader, although he does not want to, but because of obedience and humility he obeys to your desire. And after him - whom God will show you.

From now on, I wish to remain in silence and silence in order to repent of my sins and ask for mercy from God. And you always remember me, your sinful father, in your prayers, so that I may receive mercy on the day of judgment, for I have not done anything good on earth and I am afraid of the [Last] judgment and torment prepared for sinners like me, and God’s grace yes will be with you all, overshadowing and protecting you from all evils. Amen.

Written in the year from the creation of the world 6449 [941 AD], on the 25th day of the month of March.

I, humble and sinful John, the first inhabitant of the Rila desert, sign with my own hand and confirm the above.