St. Joan Rilski - The Miracle Worker Feastday

October 19 is the feastday of St. Joan Rilski – one of the most eminent personalities of medieval Bulgaria and the most honored Bulgarian saint. On this day, the Orthodox church celebrates the finding of the Saint’s relics and their return to Sofia. In 1183, the Hungarians conquered Sofia and moved the relics of St. Joan to their capital Estergon. Soon after that, they were returned to Sredetz. In 1195, Bulgaria’s king Assen I conveyed the remains to Veliko Tarnovo, where they rested for almost three centuries. In 1469, the relics were brought back to the Rila Monastery, where they are still treasured. Therefore, October 19 is the feastday of Bulgaria’s biggest and most famous monastery, as well as public holiday of many Bulgarian towns. One of them is Pernik – one of Bulgaria’s leading coal and metallurgical centers (St. Joan Rilski is the patron of all miners). Some other towns, celebrating on this day are Gotze Delchev, Kresna, and Dupnitza.