Venerable Demetrius of Basarbovo, Bulgaria

Venerable Demetrius was born in the village of Basarbovo near the town of Ruschuk (present-day Ruse, Bulgaria) and led a strict ascetic life, of which few reliable details have survived. According to church tradition, long after his death the saint appeared in a dream to a demon-possessed girl and promised her healing if his relics were raised from the riverbed, where they had been carried by a flood. The relics, found incorrupt, glorified the venerable one with numerous miracles and healings. During the Russo-Turkish War of 1768-1774, in order to protect the relic from desecration by the Turks, it was decided to transport St. Demetrius's relics to Russia; however, when they were being carried through Bucharest, the merchant Hadji Dimitrie and Metropolitan Grigore II of Ungro-Wallachia petitioned to leave the relics in the city. On July 13, 1774, the relics were placed in the Bucharest cathedral, where they still rest today. On October 27, 1955, Venerable Demetrius of Basarbovo was canonized and came to be venerated as the heavenly patron of Bucharest. His memory is kept on October 26/November 8.