Bulgarian saint. He was born in Vidin, in a family of a Greek and a Bulgarian, and was named Rusko at baptism (according to other sources - Raiko). Through the diligence of his parents and thanks to his talent, he received a good education, which amazed everyone around him.
When he grew up, his parents tried to get him married, but he secretly fled from them to Tarnovo. Here in the Odigitrievsky Monastery, he took monastic vows with the name Roman. His unquestioning obedience and reverence for God, his wise humility and love for everyone, especially the sick, became known to all monasticism on the Turnovo Holy Mountain and in the Ustie Monastery, so that he was nicknamed “Kaloroman” (in Greek, “Good Roman” in Slavic).
Having learned that the great ascetic of grace-filled silence, Saint Gregory of Sinaite, settled in the Parori monastery on the border of the Roman Empire and the Bulgarian kingdom, Roman left everyone and went there. Here he was accepted and taught high virtues and true spiritual life: he acquired the gift of constant prayer and inspiration, tears of repentance and teaching.
Turkish invasions, bandit attacks and the death of St. Gregory forced Saint Roman to return to inner Bulgaria. However, the thirst for the Parorian charter and silence returned him to Paroria, where he accepted the great schema with the name Romil. Disturbed again by the destructive invasion of the Turks, he finally left for Holy Mount Athos. Here numerous brethren gathered to him and they settled in a place called Melania.
After the unfortunate defeat of the Christians in the battle with the Turks on the Maritsa River on September 26, 1371, Saint Romil, like many others, was forced to leave Athos. First, he moved with his students to Avlona (now Vlora) near Drach. Then he moved to the Ravanitsky Ascension Monastery, where he soon reposed on January 16, 1375.
Prmch. Damascene New, Gabrovsky, abbot († 1771, commemorated January 16)