On May 2 this year, everyone who bears the name Boris, Bogoris, Borislav, Borislava, Boryana celebrates their name day.
On May 2, the Orthodox Church honors the memory of Saint Tsar Boris I Michael. This year marks 1115 years since the death of the Bulgarian ruler.
Boris, the son of Khan Presian I (836-852), was born in the thirties of the 9th century, most likely in the capital Pliska. It is possible that as a canartikin (crown prince) he ruled part of present-day Macedonia - it is claimed that upon the death of his father Boris "received the kingdom of (the river) Bregalnica".
Boris pursued an active foreign policy, and at the beginning of his reign he fought unsuccessfully with the German Kingdom and the Croats, and in 862-863 in alliance with the Germans against Great Moravia and Byzantium. Having matured for the Christian faith, Boris sought contacts with the Western Church, but ultimately accepted baptism from Byzantium in 864. Emperor Michael III was considered his official godfather, and numerous Byzantine clergy came to the country. In 865 the ruler, supported by the leading forces in the capital, brutally suppressed the anti-Christian rebellion that had broken out in the province.
Faithful to the idea that Bulgaria was the third “great power” in Europe at the time, and also fearing foreign penetration, Boris strove to create an independent Bulgarian church. Contacts with Patriarch Photius, expressed in the famous Photius message to the Bulgarian prince, did not yield any results, after which Boris surprisingly established direct ties with Rome. “The answers of Pope Nicholas I to the inquiries of the Bulgarians”, as well as the actions of the Roman mission in Bulgaria (866-869), did not resolve the main issue - the status of the Bulgarian church. With skillful diplomacy, Boris-Mikhail achieved the establishment of an autonomous archbishopric at the final session of the Ecumenical Council (March 4, 870), and the first Bulgarian spiritual leader became Joseph (Stephen).
The archbishopric had its own diocese, although it was hierarchically subordinate to the Patriarchate of Constantinople. In 886, the far-sighted statesman took under his protection Clement, Naum and Angelarius, who had fled from Great Moravia, and after them other disciples of the holy brothers - thus the work of St. Cyril and Methodius was not only saved, but became the foundation of the Old Bulgarian Christian civilization. In the spirit of the new faith, suffering from illness, St. Boris-Mikhail withdrew to a monastery (889). The actions of his firstborn son Vladimir-Rasate (889-893) were perceived as a threat to the Christian faith - Vladimir, remaining in the "old times", relied on conservative circles, who had reservations about the policy of the prince-baptizer. Boris left the monastery, overthrew and blinded Vladimir. The crown was given to Simeon, and the capital was moved from Pliska to Veliki Preslav. This final break with the pre-Christian past occurred by decision of a "people's council" in Veliki Preslav (893). It is assumed that at this council it was decided to officially introduce the Old Bulgarian language in the administration and the church.
The old prince returned to the monastery, where he remained until his death (May 2, 907). Soon after, St. Boris-Michael was canonized by the church. Perhaps his most famous medieval fresco portrait is from the monastery of "St. Naum" on Lake Ohrid.