BNB to issue gold coin dedicated to St John of Rila

The Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) will issue a gold collector coin dedicated to St John (Ivan) of Rila, the heavenly patron saint of Bulgaria, on 12 October, the bank has announced. The coin, part of the Bulgarian Iconography series, has a face value of €100 and will be sold at an issue price of €1,508.

In the Bulgarian Orthodox tradition, Saint John of Rila the Wonderworker is revered as the spiritual father, guide and heavenly protector of the Bulgarian people. He was born around 876 in the village of Skrino, in the Osogovo Mountains. It is believed that he received his education and embraced the monastic life at the Monastery of St Demetrius, below Ruen Peak. He later left the monastery and withdrew into solitude, dedicating himself to fasting and prayer.

• Folk legends about Saint Ivan of Rila

As a hermit, St John lived in several remote places before reaching the Rila Mountains, where he settled for the remainder of his life. There he founded the Rila Monastery, a sacred sanctuary and enduring stronghold of Orthodox faith and Bulgarian identity to this day.

The year 2026 marks the 1,150th anniversary of the saint's birth and the 1,080th anniversary of his blessed repose.

Editor: Miglena Ivanova