BULGARIA

Founded in 681 Bulgaria is one of the oldest European countries. Despite its thirteen-century-old tradition it is a child compared to the history of civilization in the contemporary Bulgarian land. The First Bulgarian Kingdom existed from

681 to 1018. This is the period during which Bulgaria became converted to Christianity and acknowledged as a kingdom by the Pope. In 1018 Bulgaria was conquered by the Byzantine Empire.

Priceless is the heritage which our brave ancestors have left us. When we open the book of Bulgarian history with excitement, we see our country illuminated by the brilliance of a glorious past, rebellious and freedom-loving like the spirit of our forefathers. It occurs to us that the brave Bulgarian khans and tsars had thought of us – their posterity

and their wild blood had started dancing with even greater power.

THE THRACIANS

According to the annalists the Thracians are the oldest generation that lived in the Bulgarian land. They had a reputation of good warriors, skillful cultivators and stock-breeders and deft craftsmen. They honoured many deities, but had deepest admiration for the power of “The Thracian Rider” whom they believed to be the patron of hunting and the keeper of good. That is why his image is often found on stone plates – holding a spear, followed by either a dog or a lion. Some Thracian deities were also honoured by the Greeks as is the case with Dionysus – the lord of fertility and the famous Thracian bard Orpheus whose magical melodies were listened to even by birds and beasts.

The Thracians believed in afterlife and therefore they built dwellings for the dead that they called tombs. Since they believed that the other world was not different from this one they put in tombs weapons, pots and adornments. To these days has remained the Thracian tomb of Kazanlak famous with its beautiful colourful mural paintings.

THE SLAVS

The Slavs are pagans. Among their many mythical beings is also the

very well-known fearsome witch with iron teeth – Baba Yaga from the Russian folklore.

The Slavic view of the world is built on the belief that there exist three parallel worlds -

Prav, Jav and Nav. These three worlds are vertically situated on the World Tree – a giant

oak-tree that supports the whole universe. In its crown the heavenly world Prav is situated –

the world of Gods – the so-called Svarga where the god of fire Svarog rules. Below in the

trunk of the tree the world Jav is situated – a world of the living creatures, the visible reality.

The ruler of this world is the God of storms and thunders – Perun.

In the roots of the tree is the world of the dead souls and spirits – Nav, the dwelling of the

evil god Chernobog (Blackgod) and his companion Mora.

.

The proto-Bulgarians appeared in Europe right after the Slavs. They were ruled by a khan. They lived in fortresses made of stone, they were good stock-breeders, they knew the

potter’s wheel and honoured the horses and archery. They believed in the afterlife and only in one God – Tangra.

THE PROTOBULGARIANS

The first founder and the ruler of Old Great Bulgaria was Khan Kubrat from the clan Dulo. The country in which we live now was founded by Kubrat’s youngest son Asparukh – this is the

image of his silver eagle.

During the first half of the VII century he reached the river Danube with his band, they liked the land and settled there. They built a great bivouac called Ongul. They entered into alliance with the Seven

Slavic Tribes. The Byzantines were not very happy with this fact and their emperor Constantine IV led his army to the Bulgarian camp. In the battle the Byzantine empire was defeated and the

emperor had to acknowledge the new country called Bulgaria and pay a tax. The year was 681. The capital of the new country became Pliska.

KHAN ASPARUKH

KHAN KRUMKHAN KRUM

Khan KrumKhan Krum (802-814) (802-814) managed to annex to the Bulgarian territory the managed to annex to the Bulgarian territory the lands along the middle Danube and conquer the important stronghold lands along the middle Danube and conquer the important stronghold of Sredets (today’s capital Sofia). This roused the Byzantine emperor of Sredets (today’s capital Sofia). This roused the Byzantine emperor Nikifor I Genik and he led his army towards Bulgaria. The Byzantines Nikifor I Genik and he led his army towards Bulgaria. The Byzantines captured Pliska and burned it, but when they were going back they captured Pliska and burned it, but when they were going back they were attacked from an ambush at the Varbica pass. In the battle of were attacked from an ambush at the Varbica pass. In the battle of June 811 the emperor Nikofor found his death. June 811 the emperor Nikofor found his death.

Khan Krum conquered the strongest Black Sea fortress of the Byzantines – Khan Krum conquered the strongest Black Sea fortress of the Byzantines – Mesembria (today’s Nesebar) He also created the first laws against Mesembria (today’s Nesebar) He also created the first laws against liars, thieves and drunkenness. liars, thieves and drunkenness.

PRINCE BORIS

Boris (852-889) dealt with the baptizing of the Bulgarian people. At that time Bulgaria was the largest Slavic country. Boris was christened by the Patriarch of Constantinople. To the prince it was clear that the Bulgarians had strong respect for their gods and it would be hard for them to convert to the new faith therefore he did not celebrate solemnly the conversion ritual. He took the Christian faith secretly in the year of 870 and received the title “prince” as a sign of the change. Thanks to his perseverance in 870 Bulgaria got the right to have its own archbishopric. Active building of churches began. In 893 Boris dethroned his son Vladimir because of his attempt to bring back the pagan faith and left the throne to his second son Simeon. Boris died in May, 906 in a monastery. The grateful church canonized him as a saint.

ST CYRILST CYRIL AND AND ST METHODIUSST METHODIUS

The newly baptized Slavic peoples had a strong need of their own literacy in order to understand the Christian teaching, because the holy books were written only in Greek, Latin and Jewish. The creation of the Slavic alphabet was done by the brothers from Thessaloniki Cyril and Methodius. Both of them worked in a monastery where in 855 they created an alphabet called Glagolitsa. The letters transmitted most accurately the meaning of the words of the Slavic language. Cyril and Methodius founded many schools and taught a lot of pupils, made the first translations of sacred books including the Bible into the Slavic language. In Rome Cyril brilliantly defended in front of the Pope the right of Slavic liturgy. The Pope blessed the Slavic books and thus the Slavic language became the third worship language in Europe after the Greek and the Latin. The great deed of the two brothers became the foundation for the existing of the Bulgarian people and country. The church pronounced them saints.

SIMEON THE GREATSIMEON THE GREAT

In 893 Simeon the Great ascended the throne. His task was to

propagate the new faith among the Slavs.

Simeon annexed to the country large territories from Macedonia and Albania populated by Slavs.

He was the patron of literature and worked a lot for the spiritual

development of the people. During his reign Bulgaria reached its

greatest power. The boundaries of the country touched three seas –

the Black, the White and the Adriatic.

This period is famous in history as the Golden Age.

SAINT IVAN RILSKISAINT IVAN RILSKI During the reign of Simeon’s son King Petar a holy man appeared – John of Rila. He During the reign of Simeon’s son King Petar a holy man appeared – John of Rila. He

was born in a village near Kiustendil. He gave away his whole heritage and became a was born in a village near Kiustendil. He gave away his whole heritage and became a recluse in the Rila mountain. He ate fruit and spent most of his time praying to God. recluse in the Rila mountain. He ate fruit and spent most of his time praying to God. People learned about him ad began to come for advice. Some of them chose the life People learned about him ad began to come for advice. Some of them chose the life of the hermit and startet living like him. Together they built the Rila monastery – a of the hermit and startet living like him. Together they built the Rila monastery – a sacred place for the Bulgarian people. After his death Ivan Rilski was beatified. His sacred place for the Bulgarian people. After his death Ivan Rilski was beatified. His relics were transferred in seven places but in 1479 were brought back in the Rila relics were transferred in seven places but in 1479 were brought back in the Rila monastery. monastery.

Ivan Rilski is the most beloved of saints – the spiritual patron of Bulgaria.Ivan Rilski is the most beloved of saints – the spiritual patron of Bulgaria.