It would therefore be fitting for someone to reproach us – quite rightly – for being not only lazy and indifferent to what is good, but also stingy in sharing the fruits of goodness with our people, if we were to pass over in silence the life of the blessed John and fail to set it down with all our zeal, in accordance with the measure of the gift we have received, as an example and an encouragement to those who desire good and yearn for virtue. For in this way, too, through the labour of writing, the fruit of this benefit flows first upon us, before it is shared with others.
Since he has an abundance of disciples, and since all virtues are gathered within him, the life of this man of God can bring no small benefit even to those who are untried in spiritual matters. For such a way of life is sufficient not only to uplift those who, with great labour, follow in the footsteps of the great one and thus draw near to the glory of those united with God, but also to bear abundant fruit for those who, even to a small extent, have longed to follow the example of his life. Moreover, even for those who have merely heard of him – provided their hearing does not remain indifferent – this will be a source of benefit. For even mere hearing can instil, drop by drop, holy love into the souls of those who listen, and when preserved in remembrance, it becomes like a spur which, little by little, moves them towards following the one who is pleasing to God.
Since spiritual nourishment is bestowed equally upon both those who speak and those who listen – as is well known – such a life will be not only a means to salvation, but also an occasion through which God will be glorified. For I believe that both groups have the same need and the same desire: some, so as not to overlook even the slightest benefit from what is recounted, and others, so that they may follow what they have heard without hesitation; but above all, both these groups are called to the zeal of spiritual pursuit. It would therefore be folly for us to be constantly concerned with bodily food—perishable and fleeting—as though all our endeavour lay therein, and to cling to it with unbridled and excessive desire, nourishing the body, yet forgetting the imperishable, inexhaustible and soul-nourishing food that endures for ever. And in this way, by neglecting our soul, we allow it to waste away from hunger for the things of God, depriving it of the bread of life that comes down from heaven.
Behold, then, if we are now to begin the account of that man of God, it is fitting first to invoke his very grace, which he, with a pure heart, received in abundance from God, lest, through ignorance, we err in what we seek, touching the holy things with unclean hands, as has been said. And, above all, when speaking of his virtues, let us not in any way harm those who listen, depriving them of the highest benefits. For, if this most holy man had turned his mind even slightly towards earthly and perishable things, or if he had concerned himself with worldly matters, then we might easily have passed over his memory in silence, allowing it to sink into the depths of oblivion. But since he cast aside all that is lowly and lifted his mind towards the heavenly homeland—that which is free, untainted by sorrow and unshakeable—and strove with all his might to reach the Father and Creator of all, it is fitting that we too should speak, at least in part, of him, to the glory of God and for the edification of the souls of those who listen.
The matters concerning him, which our forebears recorded somewhat clumsily and harshly1, we have endeavoured with zeal to set forth with care and spiritual subtlety, as is fitting, knowing full well that the account of the Father has the power to gladden the souls of those who love the Fathers and to spur them on to a more ardent zeal for what is good.
The Reverend’s parents were devout in all things; of Bulgarian descent, they were born and raised in the village of Skrino, situated in the region of Sredeț. And this Sredeț lies within the borders of Europe, being one of its renowned and distinguished towns. Whilst they lived in this village, leading a devout and compassionate life, they were blessed with two children; one of these was the blessed John. Well brought up by his parents, he lived in obedience to them in all things and honoured them as was fitting. After a long time had passed and his parents had passed away, he remained ever in the fear of the Lord, never straying from the church, listening attentively to the divine words and holy teachings, pleasing the Lord through fasting and prayer, and being wholly filled with the love of God, like one of the seraphim, burning with the Spirit for his Lord and God. And he truly bore a tenfold harvest, like a tree planted by the streams of water2.
(…) he distributed all that belonged to him amongst the poor, and gave to Caesar what was Caesar’s, so that, without delay, he might give to God what was God’s.
Some, however, overcome by envy and indolence towards good deeds, overwhelmed him with insults and reproaches, calling him a hypocrite and utterly unworthy of worldly life. And he, finding himself in this state, took a wise decision: he distributed all that belonged to him amongst the poor, and gave to Caesar what was Caesar’s, so that, without delay, he might give to God what was God’s. For God, Who ordained that light should dawn out of darkness and Who once said to Abraham: ‘Leave your country, your kindred and your father’s house, and come to the land which I will show you’3, in the same way revealed Himself to him, speaking words no less significant than the others, showing him the place where he was to perform work pleasing to Him. And when he awoke from his dream and understood the mystery of the vision, he was set ablaze like a stag thirsting for springs; he armed himself like David against the Goliath of his thoughts, taking, according to the ancient tale, three stones: faith, hope and love; he clad himself in the breastplate of righteousness and placed upon his head the helmet of salvation – the divine covering – and cut off his hair along with his passions and desires. Going to the monastery and remaining there for a time to study, he left behind worldly things and (those made) of ashes. He left behind the world and its ruler, taking nothing with him save a single fur garment. He went to the mountain that had been revealed to him and, building a small hut of branches, settled there, mortifying his body through fasting and vigil, singing with David: ‘Behold, I would flee and dwell in the wilderness. I have waited for God, He who saves me from the frailty of my soul and from the storm’4, raising his pious hands, without anger or distress, feeding only on wild herbs, which the earth provides for the benefit of living creatures, and on the water that flows abundantly from springs; thus he spoke: ‘I was like a beast before You. But I am ever with You’5. Who, then, could speak worthily of the ascetic labours he performed in those days? For he did not even taste the grass of the wilderness to his fill, but only a little and in moderation, and only after sunset; and he drank water only enough to refresh his insides. And who will be able to interpret properly the fountain of his tears, his all-night vigils and his prostrations before the Lord? Often the unclean spirits would rush upon him, taking the form of wild beasts, seeking to disturb him and drive him from the place of his ascetic struggle. Yet the valiant soldier of Christ remained steadfast in patience, unswayed by their deceptions, like an unshakeable rock which shatters and casts aside the waves that crash against it, or, to speak more truly, like an unblemished diamond, which no iron can chip.
After a long time had passed, the blessed father moved from that place to another, where he found a deep and dark cave. There he made his home, adding asceticism upon asceticism and desire upon desire, just as the industrious bee builds its combs with sweet honey and carefully stores them in the treasury of its heart. Whilst he was living in this way, his brother’s son, hiding from his parents, set out for the wilderness where the Reverend One dwelt and, after much toil and searching, barely managed to find him. The blessed one, seeing him approaching from afar, thought he was a vision and bowed his head in prayer. And when the young man reached him, falling face down on the ground, he begged him with tears to bestow his blessing upon him. And [the old man], having convinced himself that it was no apparition but a living and real being, blessed him and asked him why he had come. The young man told him everything about himself, and the Reverend Father welcomed him at once. His name was Luke. As he watched him spending time with him, like a cedar towering in Lebanon, the Reverend rejoiced, raising his hands to heaven and offering songs of thanksgiving to the Lord, together with the psalmist: ‘The upright and the righteous have drawn near to me’6. And the young man lived in the wilderness like a gentle lamb, tended by the true Shepherd, like a new Abel or another Isaac, following in every way the example of the Forerunner, who was raised from his youth in the wilderness.
But what can we say? He who once received as his inheritance the title of Morning Star, and today – because of his pride – is Darkness, he who sought to destroy the earth and the sea, he who raised his voice against the heavens and said: ‘I will ascend into the heavens, and above the stars of the mighty God I will set my throne!’7, the haughty enemy and sower of evil, unable to bear the virtues and ascetic struggles of the holy man, was filled with envy, conceived a plot and devised wickedness. Then, disguising himself as an acquaintance, he went to the saint’s brother by blood and, finding him overcome with sorrow and wounded by the arrows of the flesh, distraught at the loss of his son, spoke to him with cunning: ‘The one who has deprived you of a support in your old age, a house with an heir, a seed to bear fruit, and a son in your wife’s womb—that one is John, your brother! He came secretly in the night and, having taken your child, is keeping him with him. And if you do not go at once to fetch him, your son will become sweet food for the beasts of the wilderness.” He spoke to him again with cunning: “If you do not seek him out earnestly, you will become the murderer of your own son! Go, then, go, my friend, and I shall show you where he is; and you, going at once, take the fruit of your seed.” And when he heard these words, he clothed himself in hatred as in a shirt, and a cloud of wrath enveloped him. Then he began to speak and to do many things against the innocent one. And the devil, seizing him, led him into the wilderness, stirring up his heart to revile the man of God. And when they drew near to that place, the crafty one withdrew from him, showing him the cave only from afar. Then the man, going to the place indicated, found the Saint and began to overwhelm him with insults and slander, calling him ‘lawless/cacogher’. And what did he not do against him then, showering him with blasphemies and insults, calling him a ‘villain’8; and mocked him, calling him a deceiver, unworthy of further life on earth; and, seizing branches and stones, he rushed upon him in a rage, determined to kill him at any cost. And what did the gentle disciple of the Gentle Master do? He stood in silence, without uttering a single word, keeping in the depths of his mind the words of Scripture: ‘But I was like a deaf man who could not hear, and like a mute who does not open his mouth’9. Seizing the child in anger and with a cry – O, a childish cry, full of humility! – [the father] set out into the world, this unclean harlot, the mother of defilement and of all uncleanness. It tore him away from the Mountain of God, the bountiful mountain, the mountain where the Lord had willed that [the child] should dwell. And the blessed one, seeing what had happened and realising that it was a devilish trick, was overcome by a cloud of sorrow; and, wetting his cheeks with tears, he fell face down upon the ground, praying and saying: ‘Lord, You who said: “And they shall call upon Me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver them…”10, deliver me now, O Lord; turn Your merciful gaze upon me, drive away the sorrow from my heart and grant me a sign of Your favour, for You are blessed for ever and ever. Amen!’ And, having finished his prayer, he sat there full of grief and sorrow at the loss of his child, fearing that, were he to be brought back into the world, he might become entangled in the vain cares of life. But what did God do, He who once commanded that children should be allowed to come to Him? He spoke once more to the child’s father – not with words, but through His deed – saying mysteriously: ‘Let the children come to Me and do not hinder them, for to such as these belongs the kingdom of heaven’11. And as the father was walking along the road with the child, a snake bit the child, and death immediately received him into its gentle embrace. When the father saw this, he was distraught and did not know what to do; but, turning to the Reverend Father, he told him, with shame and sorrow, what had happened on the way. And the Saint commanded him to bury the child’s body and then return to his home – and so he did. Then the Reverend Father, giving great praise to God for this, continued to live without sorrow.
(…) the devil, seeing his patience and strength, did not cease to tempt him in every way (…) But John, a diamond in spirit, would not in any way allow himself to be caught in the snares of the enemy’s wiles.
[The Venerable One] spent twelve years there, in the cave, without knowing bodily rest, adding asceticism upon asceticism and suffering upon suffering. And the devil, seeing his patience and strength, never ceased to tempt him in every way: sometimes with despair, sometimes with idleness; at times he troubled him with fears, at others with deceptive visions. But John, a diamond in spirit, would not be caught in the snares of the enemy’s cunning, but sang: ‘They surrounded me like bees around a honeycomb, but they were extinguished like a fire of thorns, and in the name of the Lord I have defeated them’12.
Just as in days of old, in the wilderness, He caused manna to rain down from heaven for the people and filled the hungry with grace, (…) He commanded the earth to bring forth chickpeas, as food for the Reverend. And the man of God lived, feeding on this…
After many days, the crafty one from the beginning, having gathered a band of demons in the guise of robbers, pounced savagely upon the saint, beating him mercilessly. Shoving and dragging him, they drove him from the place of his asceticism, sternly commanding him never to dare approach that place again. And he, obeying even in this the voice of his Lord, Who said: ‘When they persecute you in this city, flee to another,’13, he too did not pass from city to city, but moved from the wilderness to another place, situated a great distance away; and there, finding a great oak tree, like that of Abraham of old, he took up residence in its shade. But Abraham, having wonderfully entertained the Holy Trinity beneath the oak of Mamre, saw them off in peace, whilst he, having received them not bodily but in his mind, carried within himself the living God Himself, glorified in the Trinity. And he was by no means overcome by idleness or despair, but persevered unwaveringly in his original ascetic endeavour and in his way of life, full of divine zeal. But what does He do who works all things for our good and for our salvation? Just as He once, in the wilderness, caused manna to rain down from heaven for the people and filled the hungry with grace, so too does He work here. For He commanded the earth to bring forth chickpeas for the Saint’s sustenance. And the man of God lived by feeding on these, thereby alleviating somewhat the weakness of his body and satisfying the hunger of his stomach. And the more he ate, the more he was strengthened in the power of his soul: his heart soared towards the things above, streams of tears flowed, watering the furrows of his soul and causing sheaves of virtues to spring up within him.
And God, Who said: ‘Let there be light out of darkness’14 and makes the mysteries of darkness manifest, did not will that a city set on a mountaintop should be hidden15, but was pleased to show the world the radiance of his virtues. And, as shepherds were tending their flocks not far away—like those who once kept watch at the Nativity of Christ—the sheep, standing obediently around the pasture, suddenly, in a panic, they did not rush along their usual paths, but wandered aimlessly through desolate, steep and untrodden places. And when they reached the place where the Reverend lived, they stopped. The shepherds, however, running after them and unable to stop them, also arrived at the spot where the sheep had stopped; and, seeing the saint, they marvelled and asked him: ‘Who are you, and where have you come from? Where is your home, and what is your homeland?’ And he replied: ‘My home, in the words of the Apostle, is in heaven, from where I await the Saviour; and my homeland is the Jerusalem above. As for the place or city that bore me and raised me on this earth, it is not for you to know. However, since you have come here, it is fitting that I should entertain you with the food of the wilderness.” And he commanded them to take some of the chickpeas growing there. And they took some and ate until they were full. They took some and ate until they were full. And after they had been allowed to leave, one of them secretly returned, plucked some more chickpeas and, rejoicing, ran to catch up with his companions. And, catching up with them, he showed them what he had done; and they, gathering round, snatched it from his hands. But when they began to open the sacks, they found nothing inside them. And, suddenly overcome with remorse, they returned to the Reverend Father, confessed what had happened, and asked for forgiveness for their mistake. He forgave them, saying: ‘Thus, O my sons, has Almighty God willed that these things should spring up here and be of benefit right here.’ And they, overwhelmed by wonder, returned to their homes, praising and glorifying God for all that they had seen and heard, and proclaiming this throughout that region and the surrounding areas.
Some of the followers of Christ wished to go to the Reverend Father and receive his blessing. A man, who for many years had been terribly tormented by an unclean spirit, seeing them set off, followed after them, hoping to be delivered from his affliction. And when they were about a stadium’s length from the place where the saint was, the unclean spirit immediately shook him violently; and, falling down, he rolled about on the ground, crying out and saying, ‘Fire is burning me, and I cannot go any further!’ So they bound him and dragged him along by force; and when he fell to the ground, they earnestly begged to receive the saint’s blessing. After granting their request, [the saint] asked them why they had come. And they, telling him about themselves, also spoke to him of the man possessed by a demon, then knelt down and begged him to deliver him from his affliction. But John, who placed no hope whatsoever in himself, but only in God, the One who raises the dead and calls into being that which does not yet exist, said to them: ‘This work is not within our power, O sons, it is not within our power; but it is only God who is able to cast out demons. For we too are human beings, subject to the same passions as you, and we share the same weaknesses!”, he said. At this, the voice of the Lord was heard, commanding: ‘When you have done all that is commanded of you, say: “We are unworthy servants”’16. But they persisted earnestly, praying unceasingly. And, seeing that their persistence was truly earnest and that they did not cease to implore him, the saint was moved to tears; he fell to the ground and, sighing from the depths of his heart, said: ‘O God, whom we worship in the Holy Trinity, Creator of all things visible and invisible, before whom all tremble and quake, have mercy on Your creation! And not for our sake, but for Your incomparable goodness, and for Your abundant mercies, do not let this man, O Lord, be tormented for long! I am not worthy, O Most Good One, to utter Your Most Holy Name with my unclean and defiled lips, yet I place my hope in Your mercy; I call upon You for help, for You Yourself, by oath, have promised through the mouths of Your servants, the prophets, that You do not desire the death of the sinner! For this reason, we all fall to our knees before You and lift up earnest prayers to You: hear us from Your holy heaven, for You are blessed for ever. Amen!’
Those who were with him, seeing the miracle, were filled with holy awe, and their faith in the saint was strengthened even further; they implored him earnestly to allow them to remain with him. But he did not agree. Instead, after instructing them carefully and feeding them with the chickpeas that grew there, he blessed them and sent them home.
As soon as the saint had offered up such a prayer, the demon immediately left the man, and he was made completely well, glorifying and blessing God. Those who were with him, witnessing the miracle, were filled with holy awe, and their faith in the saint was strengthened even further; they implored him earnestly to allow them to remain with him. But he would not consent. Instead, after instructing them carefully and feeding them with the chickpeas that grew there, he blessed them and sent them home, commanding them not to dare come to him again. And they, returning to their homes, had as their companion and faithful travelling companion the man who had previously been possessed by a demon.
From that time on, as news of him had spread throughout the whole region, everyone praised God, and showed great love and devotion towards [the saint]. And the valiant John, learning of these events, rose and departed from that place, fearing and, above all, utterly abhorring the glory of men, ceaselessly seeking only that which is divine, and sweetly chanted: ‘But it is good for me to draw near to God, to put my trust in the Lord’17. And, finding a very high rock, he immediately climbed upon it, just as the Beholder of God had once done on [Mount] Sinai, ascending into the unapproachable mist of the divine vision. He, too, received the Tablets written by God, though not on tablets of stone, but on the tablets of the heart, washing the rock with tears and multiplying his labours a hundredfold through all-night vigils and sighs. There he conversed only with the One and Only, soaring on light wings towards the heavens, enduring the frost of the night and the scorching heat of the day. The Sleepless One, seeing him endure with such fortitude, bestowed upon him, unseen, strength and, above all, unshakeable steadfastness. But the devil, the enemy of all that is good, unable to endure such spiritual valour for long, gathered a legion of demons and they pounced savagely upon the saint. What did they not do and commit, striking him, battering him and dragging him mercilessly! And when, at last, they had hurled him from the cliff, they hastened away, thinking him utterly dead and that he would never rise to life again. After the valiant John had lain there for a long time, he barely came to his senses; groaning and barely breathing, he lamented and said to himself: ‘Why are you so distressed, my soul, and why do you trouble me? Put your hope in God, for to Him I will confess: the Saviour of my face and my God!’ And, rising, he climbed once more upon the rock and steadfastly kept to his former routine, having the Most High as his refuge and shelter. But He who looks down upon the earth and causes it to tremble turned His merciful eye upon His beloved; and He commanded His angel to bring him food every day. And thus the word of Scripture was fulfilled in him: ‘The man ate the bread of angels’18.
And whilst he was living in this manner, the news of him, as has been said before, spread far and wide, so that even the tsar heard of him and set his heart on seeing him. And when the pious Tsar Peter, who was then holding the reins of the Bulgarian realm, went to Sredets at that time and heard of the Venerable One, he sent skilled men, expert hunters, nine in number, to seek out the man of God, commanding them not to return under any circumstances unless they found him. And those men, as soon as they received the royal command, reached Rila swifter than the wind. And, having roamed those parts for many days without discovering anything, exhausted by hunger and utterly distraught, they dared not present themselves before the king, yet could not wander hungry through the wilderness either. Yet fear overcame their hunger, and they did not cease to search for him. And later, after some time, they found a small trail and, following it, arrived at the dwelling of the man of God, praying that he might grant them his blessing. And he, having granted them his blessing, asked them why they had come. They, however, told him everything. And when the old man, with the eye of the soul, realised that they had been starving for five days, he set a table for them and fed them with love. For He who once fed five thousand with five loaves, He too here satisfied nine men with a single loaf. And – oh, what a miracle! – just as there had been many crumbs left over, so too here there were crumbs left from half the loaf. And when they saw this, they were filled with amazement. Those who had thought that a single loaf would not be enough for them, having eaten their fill, left half a loaf. And, on their return, they reported all this to the tsar. And he, filled with divine zeal and enveloped in a cloud of joy, hastened like a stag at harvest-time towards the springs of water; and, taking his closest companions with him, they all set off for the mountain. And, upon reaching the river called Rila, they came upon a great rock, very high, precipitous and utterly inaccessible.
Unable to go any further, they turned back. Immediately they climbed another high mountain, which the locals used to call Knišava, and from there they were shown the mountain and the rock where the Reverend lived. But the tsar could not reach that place because of its height and the ruggedness of the terrain. So he immediately sent two of his most trusted servants, urging and imploring the Reverend Father earnestly to deign to grant him his blessing, for he longed greatly to see him. And the servants, as soon as they received the Tsar’s command, set off for that place and conveyed the Tsar’s instructions to the Reverend Father. He, however, told them that this was impossible. ‘But, O my sons,’ he said, ‘tell the Tsar this: “Your labours and your gift have been presented before God like fragrant incense and have been accepted. But hasten to depart from here, for this place is not secure, lest, by chance, you yourself and those with you should come to harm. As for our humility, you will not be able to see it in this fleeting life, but in the life to come; there we shall gaze upon one another to our heart’s content and delight in that unspeakable joy, if from here, from this world, we bring [to heaven] fruits worthy of repentance.” The Tsar was overcome with great sorrow and returned with much pain and bitterness in his soul, feeling that he had lost something of great value.
He then sent a letter with the following content: “Tsar Peter to the most honourable father, the hermit John. I have heard of the love of goodness in your soul, of your dwelling in the wilderness, of your life which is above the world and angelic, as well as of your complete renunciation of the things of this age. And a burning desire has arisen within me to behold your piety and to be soothed by your words, sweet as honey, for I reckoned that I would gain great spiritual benefit from seeing you. Yet the desire for wealth, vain glory and the passions of this world do not allow us, who are adrift in the sea of vain living, to reach the light of the pure and incorporeal abode, for the eyes of our soul have been darkened by sorrow and turmoil over the things of this world. And now, like one awakened from a deep sleep, I have longed to behold your holiness. And since – alas for me, a wretch – I have been deprived even of this blessing because of the multitude of my sins, I pray and bow humbly before your reverence, that you may send us some comfort to strengthen us and cool the heat of our sorrow. For your reverence knows what sort of worldly storms and what clouds of turmoil are accustomed to trouble the hearts of kings!’
Blessed John yielded to the entreaty and accepted the Lenten fare, thereby humbling his spiritual loftiness; yet he did not cast his gaze upon the gold in the slightest. And he sent this message to him: ‘Poor John to the faithful and autocratic bearer of the Bulgarian sceptre, Tsar Peter. We are not permitted to fulfil your request in its entirety; yet, for the sake of your faith and zeal, we do what is fitting for us by accepting the Lenten fare. As for your gold, keep it for yourself, for such things cause great harm to those who live a monastic life, and especially to those who dwell in the wilderness and in desolate places. And what use would these things be to one who never tastes bread to his fill, nor water to quench his thirst? ‘For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain’19. These things are necessary for Your Highness and those like you. Yet even you, who are crowned with a diadem, must not find delight in them, for it is written: ‘Though wealth should flow, do not set your heart on it’20. And even though it is written: ‘A king’s strength is his wealth’, this was given to him not for his own pleasure, but to be used as a support for his arms and his army, and, above all, to aid the poor and destitute, and those without shelter. Therefore, if you wish to inherit the heavenly kingdom along with the earthly one, be merciful and generous, just as our heavenly Father is merciful. Do not put your trust in injustice, nor let yourself be inclined towards plunder; be gentle and peaceful, merciful towards all, and let your eyes be open to everyone. May the oil of your mercy be poured out upon all; and ‘let not your left hand know what your right hand is doing’21. May the poor leave your palace full of joy, and may your officials open their mouths in praise; may your purple robe shine with the light of your virtues, and may your sighs and tears be your spiritual offspring. Always remember the hour of death, and let your mind strive tirelessly towards the kingdom to come. Bow down at the feet of your Mother, the Church; worship her with zeal and bow your head before those who sit upon her foremost thrones, so that the King of kings and Lord of lords, seeing your great zeal, may grant you His blessings: ‘What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered the human heart—these things God has prepared for those who love Him’22. And the tsar, having read these words, considered that he had received a great gift; and, kissing them with love, he kept them close to his heart as a priceless treasure. And by reading them frequently, he dispelled the darkness of worldly troubles. Thus, the blessed John spent seven years and four months in that place without interruption, never slacking in his ascetic endeavours for even an hour, nor did he ever fall into sloth or despair, but added zeal upon zeal and diligence upon diligence; and, to put it briefly, in his old age he displayed the vigour of youth. And many came to him, bringing their sick, and, having been healed through his prayers, they returned to their homes. When news of his great glory spread throughout the land, many were inspired by his virtuous life and wished to live alongside him; and in the neighbouring cave they built a church and founded a holy community, with the Venerable One as their head and shepherd. And he, shepherding his flock well and bringing many to the Lord, performing great and marvellous miracles, reached a ripe old age. And when he realised the time had come for him to depart to the Lord, he devoted himself entirely to prayer, shedding fervent tears from his eyes, and, kneeling on the ground, he said: ‘O God, Almighty One, receive me, Your sinful and unworthy servant, and count me among the company of Your chosen ones. For I have done nothing good on earth, O Most Good One; therefore I beseech Your mercy: send a messenger of good tidings, lest the spirits of evil hinder my ascent.” And saying, ‘Father, into Your hands I commend My spirit’23, he immediately gave up his spirit into the hands of God, having lived to the age of nearly seventy. And here, in this blessed place, he was buried by his disciples.
When news of his great glory spread throughout the land, many were drawn to his virtuous life and wished to live alongside him; and in the neighbouring cave they built a church and founded a holy community, with the Venerable One as their head and shepherd.
…when they opened the coffin, they found the Reverend’s body completely untouched by decay and free from any trace of corruption, exuding a pleasant fragrance and kindling a divine zeal in the souls of those who beheld him.
A long time had passed, and a strong, sweet fragrance was wafting from [the tomb]. And when they opened the coffin, they found the body of the Venerable One entirely untouched by decay and free from any trace of corruption, exuding a pleasant fragrance and kindling divine zeal in the souls of those who beheld him. After the prescribed service of praise had been completed, they honourably transferred his holy relics to the most glorious city of Sredeț. There they were enshrined in the Church of Saint Luke the Evangelist. Later, a church was built in honour of the Venerable One, and his holy relics were placed within it, where they performed marvellous and most glorious miracles.
Much later, whilst Andronikos24, Emperor of the Greeks, was reigning, the Hungarian armies, together with their king, invaded the Greek lands as far as Serdica and subjugated everything in their path. Then they took the holy relics of the Venerable One and carried them to their own land. For that king, having heard of the glorious and great miracles of the Venerable One, commanded that his holy relics be placed in the church within the city known as Esztergom. And there his holy relics performed most glorious and ineffable miracles, driving out from people every infirmity and every sickness. And the news spread throughout that whole country, and everyone gathered there. But the enemy of goodness, the devil, unable to bear that the Venerable One should be so honoured, pierced the heart of that city’s bishop with the arrow of unbelief. And he refused outright to go and worship the holy relics of the Venerable One, saying that he did not in the least consider this Venerable One to be numbered amongst the saints. Moreover, he prevented others from doing so, commanding them not to go and worship before him: ‘I,’ he said, ‘truly know all the saints, and I do not find this one among the ranks of the other saints.’ And immediately, by God’s righteous judgement, his tongue was silenced and he was rendered completely mute, unable to utter a single word. And all who witnessed this miracle were seized with great fear. And he stood there gesturing with his hands, like that ancient and glorious high priest Zechariah, the father of the Forerunner25. And as soon as he came to his senses and pondered the cause of such muteness, he realised that the cause of his suffering was his unbelief in the Saint. He then ran to the relics of the Venerable One and, shedding hot tears upon them and sighing frequently, poured out the bitterness from the depths of his heart. But John, who was pleasing to God and in all things a follower of Christ, did not wish to leave him in this affliction for long, but quickly broke the bonds of his tongue and restored to him his sweet-sounding speech. And he, having received [healing], gave ceaseless thanks to God and to His chosen and beloved one. And, seeing and hearing these things, all the people grew in faith and in zeal for the Saint. He performed many other glorious and awe-inspiring miracles in the land of Hungary, which time does not permit us to recount at length. And after the Hungarian king had learnt of all this in detail, he was seized with great fear and trembling; he adorned the relic-chest of the Venerable One with gold and silver, kissed his holy relics fervently and, with great honour, returned them once more to Sredeț, placing them in the church built in his name in the year 6695, the fifth indiction (1187).
Not long afterwards, when God was pleased to renew the Bulgarian state and to raise up, as it is written, ‘the fallen tent’, which had collapsed under Greek oppression, He restored the strength and glory of the Bulgarian kingdom in the days of the most faithful Tsar Asan, who, at his Holy Baptism, had been named John. He, having received the banners of the kingdom, powerfully fortified all the fallen Bulgarian fortresses, and rebuilt those that had been laid waste from their very foundations. And, having thoroughly prepared himself against the Greek Empire, he subjugated the surrounding regions, fortresses and villages. And when he reached Sredets and brought it under his rule, having heard of the most glorious and innumerable miracles of the Venerable One, he immediately hastened to his holy church and, reverently kissing the holy relics of the man after God’s own heart, reflected in his heart that he had found a priceless treasure. Filled with great joy and spiritual gladness, he devised a wise plan – that, for the greater honour and strengthening of his kingdom, the holy relics of the Venerable Father might be transferred to his glorious city, Tarnovo. And straightaway he sent a letter to his patriarch, Kir Vasile, who was in the great city of Tarnovgrad, with the following content:
‘To the most honourable Bishop of God and spiritual father of our imperial majesty, Kir Basil.
When, by God’s will, I arrived in these lands and set foot in the city of Sredets, discovering the holy relics of the pious Father John – the one abounding in miracles and healings – it seemed to me that, out of joy, I was flying through the air. For his great glory had filled the whole of that land, and because of the miracles and most glorious healings he performed, he was renowned as a healer not only here, but throughout the whole of Hungary.
In view of this, our imperial majesty has deemed it fitting that Your Holiness should come here together with the entire ecclesiastical assembly and with due reverence, so that these holy relics of the pious Father might thus be exhumed and brought to our most glorious imperial city, to the praise of the entire ecclesiastical community and to the strengthening of our most pious kingdom.”
Hearing this, the divine bishop rejoiced in spirit and offered up a prayer of thanksgiving to God. And straightaway, he hastily gathered together the entire clergy and recounted to them all that had been stated above. And they, with fervent zeal and ardent hearts, received all this with unspeakable joy. And, moved by a fervent resolve, as if wishing to carry a most precious and highly esteemed treasure, they hastened to reach Sredeț together with their patriarch and teacher. The devout Tsar John Asan, having prepared with great honour all that was necessary for the Saint’s journey, entrusted everything to the Patriarch, leaving him three hundred valiant soldiers to accompany the holy relics. As for himself, he hastened and made his way to his glorious imperial city, where he began the construction of a church in the Saint’s name, in the great city of Trapezitsa. The Patriarch, reverently taking the venerable relics of the Venerable One, set out on his journey together with the entire clergy, advancing in procession, rejoicing in spirit and glorifying God. Following behind them were the abbot of the Venerable One’s monastery and all the monks under his guidance. And when the Tsar learnt that the Patriarch had arrived, he hastened forthwith to go out to meet him, together with his entire council, at the place called Krâsteț. And, having reverently kissed the holy relics of the Venerable One, he ordered that they be kept there for seven days, until the construction of the holy church was completed. And when, by the grace of God, the church was consecrated, they placed the relics of the Venerable One within it with great honour, in the year 6703 since the Creation of the world (1195), where they rest to this very day, bestowing manifold healings upon all who faithfully seek them – to the glory of Christ, our true God, to Whom all glory is due, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages! Amen!
- 1
Here, Saint Euthymius offers his own assessment of the so-called ‘Popular Life’ of the Venerable John of Rila, which was, in all likelihood, composed in the 12th century. The ‘Popular Life’ is regarded by many scholars as the oldest hagiographic work dedicated to the Saint.
- 2
Ps. 1:3.
- 3
Acts 12:1.
- 4
Ps. 54:8–9.
- 5
Ps. 72:22.
- 6
Ps. 24:22.
- 7
Isa. 14:13.
- 8
The antonym of the word ‘monk’, meaning an old, nasty, ugly man.
- 9
Ps. 37:13.
- 10
Ps. 49:16.
- 11
Matt. 19:14.
- 12
Ps. 117:12.
- 13
Matt. 10:23.
- 14
2 Corinthians 4:6.
- 15
Matt. 5:14.
- 16
Luke 17:10.
- 17
Ps. 72:27.
- 18
Ps. 77:29.
- 19
Philippians 1:21.
- 20
Ps. 61:10.
- 21
Matt. 6:3.
- 22
1 Corinthians 2:9.
- 23
Ps. 30:5; Luke 23:46.
- 24
Andronikos I Komnenos (1183–1185).
- 25
Luke 1:22.