The Christianization of Bulgaria is the process of converting 9th-century medieval Bulgaria to Christianity. Prior to the Christianization, the First Bulgarian Empire was one of the last remaining pagan states of Europe. Christianity is a monotheistic religion centered on the life, teachings, and actions of Jesus, the Christ, as recounted in the New Testament. ... St Ivan of Rila, patron saint of Bulgaria The history of Bulgaria began in the 7th century CE with the arrival of the Bulgars in the Balkans. ... Paganism (from Latin paganus) and Heathenry are catch-all terms which have come to connote a broad set of spiritual/religious beliefs and practices of a natural religion, as opposed to the Abrahamic religions. ... World map showing Europe Europe is conventionally considered one of the seven continents which, in this case, is more a cultural and political distinction than a physiogeographic one. ...

Background

When Khan Boris began his reign in 852, the international situation was very complicated. The conflict with the Byzantine Empire for the rulership over the Slavonic tribes in modern-day Macedonia and Thrace was still far from being resolved. In the middle Danube region, Bulgaria's interests crossed with those of the newly created kingdom of the East Franks and the principality of Great Moravia. It was about that period when Croatia emerged on the international scene, carrying its own ambitions and demands for territories in the region. Boris I Michail or Boris I Michael (Bulgarian Борис I Михаил)(died May 2, 907) was the khan from 852 to 889 and first Christian ruler of Bulgaria. ... Byzantine Empire (Greek: ) is the term conventionally used since the 19th century to describe the Greek-speaking Roman Empire during the Middle Ages, centered at its capital in Constantinople. ... Slav, Slavic or Slavonic can refer to: Slavic peoples Slavic languages Slavic mythology Church Slavonic language Old Church Slavonic language Slavonian can also refer to Slavonia, a region in eastern Croatia. ... Thrace (Greek Θρᾴκη, Thrákē, Bulgarian Тракия, Trakija, Turkish Trakya; Latin: Thracia or Threcia) is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe spread over southern Bulgaria, northeastern Greece (Western Thrace), and European Turkey. ... The Danube (German: Donau, Slovak: Dunaj, Hungarian: Duna, Slovenian: Donava, Croatian: Dunav, Serbian: Дунав/Dunav, Bulgarian: Дунав, Romanian: Dunăre, Ukrainian: , Latin: Danuvius, Turkish: Tuna) is Europes second-longest river (after the Volga). ... East Franks corresponds with what is now Germany. ... Great Moravia (Old Church Slavonic approximately Велья Морава, Czech Velká Morava, Slovak Veľká Morava, Latin Magna Moravia) was a Slav state existing on the territory of present-day Moravia and Slovakia between 833 and the early 10th century. ...

On a more global scale, the tensions between Constantinople and Rome were tightening. Both centres were competing for the christianization that would precede the integration of the Slavs in South and Central Europe. The Bulgarian Khanate and the Kingdom of the East Franks had established diplomatical relations as soon as the 20s and 30s of the 9th century. In 852, at the beginning of the reign of Khan Boris, a Bulgarian embassy was sent to Mainz to inform Louis II for the change in Pliska, the Bulgarian capital. Most probably this embassy was also to renew the Bulgarian-German alliance. Map of Constantinople. ... City motto: Senatus Populusque Romanus – SPQR (The Senate and the People of Rome) Founded 21 April 753 BC mythical, 1st millennium BC Region Latium Mayor Walter Veltroni (Left-Wing Democrats) Area  - City Proper  1285 km² Population  - City (2004)  - Metropolitan  - Density (city proper) 2,553,873 almost 4,300,000 1. ... Southern Europe is a region of Europe. ... Regions of Europe Central Europe is the region lying between the variously and vaguely defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe. ... Mainz (French: Mayence) is a city in Germany and the capital of the German federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate. ... Louis the German (also known as Louis II or Louis the Bavarian) (804 - August 28, 876), the third son of the emperor Louis the Pious and his first wife, Ermengarde of Hesbaye, was the king of Bavaria from 817, when his father partitioned the empire, and king of East Francia... Pliska (Bulgarian. ...

Initial setbacks

Some time later, Khan Boris concluded an alliance with the Great Moravian Knyaz Rastislav (846-870). The inspirer for this move was the King of the West Franks, Charles the Bald (840-877). The German Kingdom responded by attacking Bulgaria. Bulgaria was defeated and Khan Boris was forced to re-establish his alliance with the German king. This alliance was, however, directed against Great Moravia, which was a Byzantine ally. The situation held great risk for the Bulgarian state. Rastislav (?-870) was the second prince of Great Moravia. ... West Franks. ... Charles the Bald - Detail from a painting in the First Bible of Charles the Bald, painted ca. ...

Another conflict with the Byzantines started in 855-856. The Empire wanted to regain its control over some fortresses on the Diagonal Road (Via Diagonalis) that went from Constantinopole, through Philippopolis (Plovdiv), to Naissus (Niš) and Singidunum (Belgrade). The Byzantine Empire was victorious in the conflict and reconquered a number of cities, with Philippopolis being among them. Plovdiv (Bulgarian: Пловдив) is the second largest city in Bulgaria, with a population of 351,000 citizens. ... Nis redirects here. ... Mayor Nenad Bogdanović Area 359. ...

Khan Boris' alliance with the Germans threathened Great Moravia, which seeked help from Byzantium (862-863). It was exactly in the same time that a Byzantine mission Great Moravia was taking place. The purpose of this mission (led by Cyril and his brother Methodius) was to draw Great Moravia towards Constantinopole and strenghten the Byzantine (Orthodox Christian) influence there. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Saints Cyril and Methodius. ... Saint Methodius (Greek: Μεθόδιος; Church Slavonic Мефодии) (b. ... The term Orthodox Christian refers to two Christian traditions: Oriental Orthodoxy, which separated from the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church in the 5th century; Eastern Orthodoxy, which the Roman Catholic church separated from in 1054 was the church that was started by the apostles. ...

What made the mission very interesting for Khan Boris was the fact that the two brothers Cyril and Methodius brought the first Slavonic alphabet to Knyaz Rostislav. Bulgaria was extremely interested in the implementation of a Slavonic alphabet because it saw it as means to stop the cultural influence of its enemy, the Byzantine Empire.

In the last months of 863, Bulgaria was once again attacked by the Byzantines. The most probable reason was that Boris had informed the German king that he wanted to accept Christianity. Byzantium had to take measures because a Roman Catholic Bulgaria, standing in the hinterland of Constantinopole, was the last thing the Empire wanted.

Byzantine demand

This time Byzantium did not demand territories, as the conditions for peace were: the Bulgarian representatives were to convert to Christianity, followed by the rest of the Bulgarian people. Such an offer would be unacceptable in other circuimstances.

The two sides concluded a "deep peace" for a 30-years period. In the late autumn of 863, a mission from the Patriarch of Constantinopole came to Pliska and converted the khan, his family and the high-ranking dignitaries. Pliska (Bulgarian. ...

Reasons for the Christianization

Following the conquests of Khan Krum of Bulgaria from the beginning of the 9th century, Bulgaria raised as an important regional power in Southeastern Europe. Its future developement was connected with the Byzantine and East Francia. Since both of these states were Christian, pagan Bulgaria remained more or less in isolation, unable to interact on even grounds, neither culturally nor religiously. Krum (died April 13, 814) was a Khan of Bulgaria, of the Dulo clan, from 808 to 814. ... The Balkans is the historic and geographic name used to describe southeastern Europe (see the Definitions and boundaries section below). ...

After the conversion of the Saxons, almost all of Europe was Christian. The preservation of paganism among the Bulgars and the Slavs (the two ethnical groups that formed Bulgaria) brought another disadvantage - the two ethnical groups' unification was hampered by their different beliefs. Lastly, Christianity had its roots on Bulgarian lands since long before the Bulgarians' arrival on the Balkans. This article is about the Saxons, a Germanic people. ...

Reaction

Naturally, the German King Leudowick was not satisfacted with Boris' to convert to Orthodox Christianity, although things didn not escalate to open conflict.

The Christianization of Bulgaria was carried out simultaneously with the destruction of the old pagan holy places. There was opposition met among the conservative aristocratical circles.

In 865, malcontents from all ten administrative regions (komitats) revolted against Boris (now titled Knyaz), accusing for giving them "a bad law". The rebels moved towards the capital with the intention to capture and kill the knyaz, then restore the old religion.

Nothing is known about how the conflict went on, except that Knyaz Boris gathered the people loyal to him and suppressed the revolt. 51 of the boils who had taken the lead of the revolt were executed "along with their whole families", but the commonfolk that "wished to do penance" were allowed to go without harm. Boil or furuncle is a skin disease caused by the inflammation of hair follicles, thus resulting in the localized accumulation of pus and dead tissues. ...

The reasons for this harsh measure should not be regarded as something normal in that age. Until the end of his life, Knyaz Boris was haunted by suspicions about the moral price of his decision in 865. In his later correspondence with Pope Nicholas I, the knyaz asked whether his actions had crossed the borders of Christian humility. The pope answered: Nicholas I,(Rome c. ...

"... You have sinned rather because of zeal and lack of knowledge, than because of other vice, You receive forgiveness and grace and the benevolence of Christ, since penance has followed on your behalf."

Of course, it was not zeal or lack of knowledge that caused the knyaz to execute almost half of the most dignified representatives of the Bulgarian aristocracy. From a practical point of view, all these murders were the high price of ending the conflict once and for all.

This revolt was caused mostly by the fear that the Byzantine Empire would spread its influence through Christianity and destroy Bulgaria. In this part of the Middle Ages, for Bulgarians "Christians" was equal to "Byzantines" or "Greeks", as they were most often called. Many Bulgarians thought that along with the religion, they would be forced to accept the Byzantine way of life and morale.

Choice between Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism

Knyaz Boris realized that the Christianization could not without the spread of Byzantine influence, as the liturgy was still done in Greek language, and the newly established Bulgarian Church was subordinate to the Constantinopole Church, not independent. Medieval Greek (Μεσαιωνική Ελληνική) is a linguistic term that describes the third period in the history of the Greek language. ...

Until the middle of the 9th century, in the practice of the formally still united Church, there were no precedents of creating national churches among the newly converted peoples. It was Bulgaria that made this precedent and set the example for everyone else to follow.

After Constantinopole had refused to grant the Bulgarian Church independence, Knyaz Boris turned to the Pope. In the end of August 866, a Bulgarian mission arrived in Rome, carrying a list of 115 questions by Knyaz Boris, regarding the Christian way of life of the newly converted Bulgarians and the oranization of a future Bulgarian Church under Rome's jurisdiction. On 13 November 866, the Bulgarian knyaz was presented with the Pope's 106 answers. Formosa from Portua and Paul of Populon were leading the Pope's mission. In the same time, the Pope sent other emissaries to Constantinopole. November 13 is the 317th day of the year (318th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 48 days remaining. ... Events Fujiwara no Yoshifusa becomes regent of Japan, starting the Fujiwara regentship. ...

The arrival of the Roman clerical mission concluded the activity of the Byzantine one, which was ordered by the Knyaz to leave Bulgaria. This was viewed as an official change of Bulgarian orientation from Constantinopole to Rome. The German mission that had arrived in the meantime also left Bulgaria after seeing Rome's emissaries were already there.

The banishment of Byzantium's clergymen naturally irritated Emperor Michael III. In a letter to Knyaz Boris, the Byzantine emperor expressed his disapproval of Bulgaria's religious reorientation and used offensive language against the Roman Church. The old rivalry between the two Churches burned with new power. In less than two years, Bulgaria's name became widely known in Western Europe. This coin struck during the regency of Theodora shows how Michael was less prominent than his mother, who is represented as ruler alone on the obverse, and even than his sister Thecla, who is depicted together with the young Michael on the reverse of this coin. ...

In Constantinopole, people nervously watched the events taking place in their northern neighbour, because a pro-Roman Bulgaria threathened Constantinopole's immediate interests. A religious council was held in the summer of 867 in the Byzantine capital, during which the Roman Church's behaviour was harshly condemned. As a personal culprit, Pope Nicholas I was even anathematized. Nicholas I,(Rome c. ...

Without losing any more time, Knyaz Boris asked the Pope to appoint Formosa of Portua for Bulgarian Archbishop. Unfortunetly for the Roman Church, the Pope flatly refused. It is likely that Nicholas I had some personal reasons for this, because his official argument that Formosa already had an eparchy of his own was untrue.

The Pope then ordered new leaders of the mission to be sent to Bugaria — Dominic of Trivena and Grimwald of Polimarthia. Pope Nicolas I died soon after. His successor Pope Adrian II (867-872) turned out to be even less negotiable about Knyaz Boris' demand that the archbishop be appointed by him.

The knyaz raised another candidature for Bulgarian archbishop, the Pope not sensing how important the moment was and refusing again. Instead, he suggested a cleric named Silvester, who stood so low in the hierarchy that he was not even allowed to carry out liturgy by himself. After a three-day stay in Pliska, Silverster was sent back to Rome, accompanied by emissaries carrying a rather impolite letter by Knyaz Boris.

The Bulgarian knyaz saw these refusals and delays as an insult and signs of unwillingness that the decision for the Bulgarian archbishop be coordinated with him.

As a result, Knyaz Boris began probings in Constantinopole, where he now expected more cooperation than he had been shown in the past. Things might have easily taken a different turn, had Constantinopole's attention not been turned in another direction.

On 23 September 867, Emperor Michael III was killed by his close aquaintance Basil, who started the Dinasty of the Macedonians that ruled the Empire until 1057. Patriarch Photius was replaced by his ideological rival Ignatius (847-858; 867-877), which caused a change in the relations with the Roman Church. September 23 is the 266th day of the year (267th in leap years). ... Events September - Basil I becomes sole ruler of the Byzantine Empire. ... Basil, his son Constantine, and his second wife, emperess Eudoxia Ingerina. ... Photius (in Greek Φωτιoς; b. ...

With the new rulers of the Empire, the tensions between Constantinopole and Rome were quickly eased. Pope Adrian II needed the help of Basil I the Macedonian against the Arabs' attacks in Southern Italy. In the same time, Byzantium expected the Pope's support for Patriarch Ignatius. Southern Italy, often referred to in Italian as the Mezzogiorno (a term first used in 19th century in comparison with French Midi ) encompasses six of the countrys 20 regions: Basilicata Campania Calabria Puglia Sicilia Sardinia Sicilia although it is geographically and administratively included in Insular Italy, it has a...

Result

As a result of the agreements reached, a Church Council was held in Constantinopole. After the end of the official conferences, on 28 February 870 Bulgarian emissaries arrived in Constantinopole, sent by the knyaz and lead by the Ichirguboil (the first councillor of the khan, now of the knyaz) Stasis, the Kan-Bogatur (high-ranking aristocrat) Sondoke, the Kan-Tarkan (high-ranking military commander) and others. February 28 is the 59th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events February 28 - End of the Fourth Council of Constantinople. ...

Few people suspected the real purpose of these emissaries. On 4 March Emperor Basilius I was closing the Council with a ball of the official guests in the Emperor's palace. The Kavkan (roughly a vicekhan or viceknyaz) Peter was also invited. After he greeted the representatives of the Roman and Byzantine Churches (the Roman being first), Kavkan Peter asked them whom the Bulgarian Church should be subordinated to. This question came as a surprise to the Roman representatives, who were not prepared to discuss this matter. March 4 is the 63rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (64th in leap years). ...

Apparently, there was already a secret agreement between the patriarch, the emperor and the Bulgarian emissaries, because the fathers immediately asked the Bulgarians what clergy they had found when they came to the lands that were then ruled by them. Naturally, the answer was "Greek". Then the Orthodox fathers declared that the right to look over the Bulgarian Church belonged only to the Constantinopole Mother Church, which had held its juristdiction on these lands in the past.

The Pope's emissaries' protests were not taken into account. With the approval of the knyaz and the fathers from the Council, the Bulgarian Church was declared an archbishopry. The archbishop was to be elected among the bishops with the approval of the knyaz.

The creation of an independent Bulgarian Archbishopry was unprecedented in the practice of the Churches. Usually, independent are those churches that have been founded by apostles or apostles' students. For a very long period, Rome had been challenging Constantinopole's right to be second after Rome, since the Church of Constantinopole had not been founded by any of Jesus Christ's students.

Nevertheless, Knyaz Boris had been granted very quickly (just six years after converting to Christianity) a national independent church and a high-ranking supreme representative (the archbishop). In the next 10 years, Pope Adrian II and his successors made desperate attempts to reclaim their influence in Bulgaria and to make Knyaz Boris leave Constantinopole's sphere of influence.

The foundations had been set. The next precedents and important events were the implementation of the Cyrillic alphabet and the Slavonic language as official in the Bulgarian Church — something considered unthinkable by most other European Christians. The Cyrillic alphabet (or azbuka, from the old name of the first two letters) is an alphabet used to write six natural Slavic languages (Belarusian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Russian, Serbian, and Ukrainian) and many other languages of the former Soviet Union, Asia and Eastern Europe. ... Old Church Slavonic (also called Old Church Slavic or Old Bulgarian, incorrectly Old Slavic ) is the first literary Slavic language, developed from the Slavic dialect of Solun (Thessaloniki) by 9th century Byzantine missionaries, Saint Cyril and Saint Methodius. ...

See also

• Saint Cyril
• Cyrillic alphabet
• Boris I of Bulgaria
• Glagolitic alphabet

It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Saints Cyril and Methodius. ... The Cyrillic alphabet (or azbuka, from the old name of the first two letters) is an alphabet used to write six natural Slavic languages (Belarusian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Russian, Serbian, and Ukrainian) and many other languages of the former Soviet Union, Asia and Eastern Europe. ... Boris I Michail or Boris I Michael (Bulgarian Борис I Михаил)(died May 2, 907) was the khan from 852 to 889 and first Christian ruler of Bulgaria. ... Tablet inscribed with the Glagolitic alphabet The Glagolitic alphabet or Glagolitsa is the oldest known Slavonic alphabet. ...

References

• "История на българите от древността до края на 16-ти век" - [1]

ISBN 954-528-289-4