Holy Right-believing King Peter of Bulgaria (+967)

The right-believing Peter, King of Bulgaria, was a God-fearing Christian. He often visited the Venerable John of Rila (commemorated 18 August and 19 October), asking him for prayer and spiritual counsel. The pious king managed to make peace with Byzantium on terms favourable to Bulgaria, and also succeeded in having the Patriarch of Constantinople recognise the independence of the Bulgarian Church and confirm a patriarchal see in Bulgaria. Peter helped to root out the heresy of the Bogomils from the country. He died in 967 at the age of fifty-six.