St Ivan of Rila, sometimes called St. John of Rila, sometimes called St. Ivan Rilski, sometimes called a combination of those things is the patron saint of Bulgaria. He was born in the middle of the 9th Century.
After becoming a monk, he left the monastery in order to continue his life in solitude and prayer, eventually ending up in the Rila Mountains, south of Sofia. There he spent the rest of his life in prayer living in caves in mountain caves.
According to legend, he performed a multitude of miracles. These miracles brought him attention and followers. His followers camped out near his cave eventunally leading to the creation of the Rila Monastery -- the foremost monastery in Bulgaria.
To get to St. Ivan's cave required a short hike. It was a beautiful fall day, and it felt great to be out hiking in the woods.
