John the Exarch

John the Exarch (also transcribed Joan Ekzarh; Church Slavonic: Їѡаннъ Єѯархъ Bulgarian: Йоан Екзарх) was a medieval Bulgarian scholar, writer and translator, one of the most important men of letters working at the Preslav Literary School at the end of the 9th and the beginning of the 10th century. He was active during the reign of Boris I (r. 852–889) and his son Simeon I (r. 893–927). His most famous work is the compilation Shestodnev (Шестоднев – Hexameron) that consists of both translations of earlier Byzantine authors and original writings. The Russian Orthodox Church canonized him and his memory is honoured on the 13 August [O.S. 31 July]. In a manuscripts of the Gospels, held in the National Library of Serbia, an alternative date is given, namely — 13 February [O.S. 31 January].