Saint Reverend John of Rila the Miracle Worker is a Bulgarian clergyman, monk. He is considered the greatest Bulgarian saint and hermit, heavenly protector and patron, patron and founder of the largest stauropygial monastery in Bulgaria - Rila. According to biographers, Saint John of Rila was born into a wealthy family in the village of Skrino. He lived during the time of Prince Boris I, Tsar Simeon the Great and Tsar Peter I. The lives of St. John of Rila show that his heart was always burning with love for God and a desire to devote himself completely to Him. When he was 25 years old, his parents died and he gave away his share of the inheritance to poor and sick people and became a hermit in the mountains. Driven from his original refuge, he went to Rila, where he settled in the hollow of an ancient tree. According to local legends, this happened near the village of Dobarsko. In Rila, the hermit was visited by shepherds, performed his first miracle - he healed a mentally ill person - and began to become famous in the area. He attracted more and more people seeking treatment for various ailments, as well as followers who began to settle around his refuge, creating a whole monastery that lasted until the beginning of the 12th century. The fame of St. John of Rila spreads far from the Rila mountain throughout the borders not only of Bulgaria, but also of Europe. Bulgarian Tsar Peter I traveled the entire distance of 450 km from the capital Veliki Preslav to Rila to meet him. However, the monk did not wish to meet the ruler out of humility. He accepts the fruits, but not the gold, that the head of state offers him, only bowing to him from afar. This increases his fame even more and students flock to him from all over Bulgaria.