John of Debar

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John of Debar was a Bulgarian church leader in the 11th century. He served as a bishop under Emperor Samuel of Bulgaria. Some sources say he became the last Bulgarian Patriarch, named David, in 1016. After Bulgaria was conquered by Byzantium, he stayed in church leadership and became the first Archbishop of Ohrid. In 1018, Emperor Basil II defeated Bulgaria and downgraded the Bulgarian Patriarchate to the Archbishopric of Ohrid, which remained self-governing under the new Bulgarian theme. Basil II chose John to be the first Archbishop of Ohrid. The 17th-century historian Du Cange says John was born near Debar, in what is today North Macedonia, and had been the head of a Debar monastery. He led the Ohrid archbishopric until his death in 1037. He is honored as Saint David of Bulgaria by the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, and his feast day is June 26.