Saint John of Rila Rila Monastery, bulgaria, 14th century Saint John lived as an ascetic in the Rila Mountains of southwest Bulgaria and died in 946. John's remains were moved to Sredec (Sofia) and worked numerous miracles, including one for the Byzantine emperor Manuel I Komnenos. In 1183 the invading Hungarians carried the remains off to Esztergom but returned them a few years later to Bulgaria, where in 1195 they were transfered to Turnovo, then the capital. Thereafter Johnof Rila was venerated as a protector saint of the Second Bulgarian Empire (11-1393). the earliest images of him date from this period. The icon seen here was painted for the Saint's own monastery,.