Calendar for August 31 - Venerable Jovan Rilski
This great ascetic and luminary of the Orthodox Church was born in Skrina, near Sofia. After the death of his parents, he became a monk and moved away to a remote forest to do asceticism. He suffered many troubles, both from demons and robbers and his relatives. Then he moved to the Rila mountain, where he settled in a hollow tree. He fed on grass and beans, which began to grow there according to God's providence. He did not see a man for many years, until the shepherds discovered him. That's how he got the word out and people started coming to him looking for comfort and medicine. The Bulgarian emperor Petar himself came to him for advice. Many ascetics settled near it, and a monastery was built there. Rest in peace in 946. His relics are in the Rila Monastery.
Holy Martyrs Florus and Lavr. Martyr Emilian.
PHOTOS
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