On May 2 we honour Saint Tsar Boris I Michael- the Baptizer of Bulgaria

Saint Tsar Boris 1 Michael was a Bulgarian ruler remembered for the Christianization of the Bulgarian people and the introduction of Slavic script, creating the conditions for the so-called “Golden Age” of Bulgarian culture under the rule of his son, Simeon the Great.

Tsar Boris 1, who ruled between 852–889 and again briefly in 893, was a relative of the Holy Martyr Boyan, Prince of Bulgaria. He negotiated the baptism with Pope Nicholas I.

Patriarch Photios of Constantinople sent bishops and priests to Bulgaria. Boris was baptized together with his entire family, taking the name of the Byzantine Emperor—Michael. The boyars and the entire population were also baptized in 865.

Following the death of the holy brothers Cyril and Methodius, their disciples found refuge in Bulgaria and assisted Tsar Boris in religious, educational and literary activities. In 889, Tsar Boris abdicated the throne and retired to a monastery, handing power to his son Vladimir. The dissatisfied boyars encouraged Vladimir to stage a coup in order to restore paganism. Upon learning this, Boris returned to the capital Pliska and suppressed the rebellion. Vladimir was deposed, and his younger son Simeon was placed on the throne.

Tsar Boris-Michael returned to monastic life in prayer and asceticism and died as a monk on May 2, 906.

As the baptizer of the Bulgarians, St. Tsar Boris is regarded as Equal-to-the-Apostles.

Edited by Krasimir Martinov

Translated by Kostadin Atanasov