The Christianization of Bulgaria is the process by which the 9th century Bulgarians converted to Christianity. It reflects the need for unity within the divided Bulgarian state and the need for equal acceptance on the international stage in Christian Europe. This process was marked by a shift of Boris I's political alliance from Bulgaria (reigned 852-889) with the East Franks empire and with the Byzantine Empire, as well as diplomatic correspondence with the Pope.
Because of Bulgaria's strategic position, the churches in Rome and Constantinople each wanted Bulgaria in their sphere of influence. They regarded Christianization as a means of integrating Slavs into their territory. After several bids for each side, Khan adopted Christianity from Constantinople in 870. As a result, he achieved his goal of obtaining an independent Bulgarian national church and having the archbishop appointed to head it.
Video Christianization of Bulgaria
​​â € <â €
When Khan Boris started his reign in 852, the international situation in Southeast Europe was characterized by a race for influence in the region, both cultural and political. Conflict with the Byzantine Empire for the domination of the Slavic tribes in Macedonia and modern Thrace is still far from resolved. In the central region of the Danube, Bulgarian interests are crossed with people from the emerging kingdom of East Frank and the Great Moravian empire. It's about the period when Croatia emerged on the international scene, bringing its own ambitions and demands for territory in the region.
On a larger scale, the tension between Constantinople and Rome is getting tighter. Both centers compete for the Christianization lead which will integrate Slavs in Southern and Central Europe. The Bulgarian Khanate and Kingdom of the East Franks have established diplomatic relations as soon as the 20s and 30s of the 9th century. In 852, at the start of Khan Boris's reign, the Bulgarian embassy was sent to Mainz to inform Louis II of a change of power in Pliska, the capital of Bulgaria. Most likely the embassy is also working on updating the Bulgarian-German alliance.
Initial setback
Sometime later, Khan Boris ended the alliance with Rastislav of Moravia (846-870) instigated by King Frank of the West, Charles the Bald (840-877). The German empire responded by attacking and defeating Bulgaria, forcing Khan Boris to then rebuild the alliance with the German king directed against Great Moravia, the Byzantine ally. The situation is very risky for the weakened Bulgaria. War broke out with the Byzantine Empire between 855 and 856. The Byzantines wanted to regain control of some of the fortresses on Diagonal Street (Via Diagonalis or Via Militaris) that went from Constantinople, through Philippopolis (Plovdiv), to Naissus (Ni?) And Singidunum (Belgrade). The Byzantine Empire triumphed and recaptured a number of cities, with Philippopolis among them.
In 861, Khan Boris concluded an alliance with King Frank, Louis East, Germany, while informing him that he wanted to accept Christianity according to Western rites. The new alliance threatens the Great Moravia, who asks for help from Byzantium (862-863). This was at the same time when the Byzantine mission to the Great Moravia was under way. Cyril and his brother, Methodius, intend to draw the Great Moravia closer to Constantinople and strengthen the Byzantine influence there.
Khan Boris is more interested in the first Slavonic alphabet created by Cyril and Methodius. Bulgaria wants to apply the Slavonic alphabet as well as a means of stopping the cultural influence of the Byzantine Empire.
In the last months of 863, the Byzantines invaded Bulgaria again, perhaps after being told by their Moravian allies that Boris told the king of Germany that he was willing to accept Christianity and Byzantium should prevent him from taking Christianity from Rome. A Bulgarian dependent on Rome in the interior of Constantinople posed a threat to the direct interest of the Byzantine Empire.
Maps Christianization of Bulgaria
Syncing with East
Prior to actual military involvement, Khan Boris was forced to demand peace because it was not ready to fight because Bulgaria was so affected by the harvest failures and earthquakes of that year, which Boris might have taken as a sign of converting to the east. ceremony. The negotiations were prepared and Boris promised to enter Eastern Orthodox Christianity along with his people, asking missionaries to come to Bulgaria and begin the process.
Both sides concluded "deep peace" for a period of 30 years. In exchange for the Bulgarian conversion, the Byzantines again previously conquered the land. In the late autumn of 864, a mission from Patriarch of Constantinople Photios arrived in the Bulgarian capital Pliska, and transformed Khan, his family, and high-ranking officials. Boris was given the Christian name of Michael (after that Byzantine Emperor Michael III) and, according to most scholars, changed his title to Slavs on par with Prince - Knyaz. After that the Bulgarian population began to convert to Christianity.
Reason for Christianization
After the conquest of Khan Krum from Bulgaria in the early 9th century, Bulgaria became an important regional power in southeast Europe. Its future development is linked to the Byzantine and Eastern Frankish empires. Because these two countries are Christian, the Bulgarian Pagan remains more or less in isolation, unable to interact even in the yard, culturally or religiously.
After the Saxon conversion, most of Europe became Christian. The preservation of paganism among the Bulgar and the Slavs (the two ethnic groups that make up the Bulgarians) brings another disadvantage - the unification of the two ethnic groups is hampered by their different religious beliefs. Finally, Christianity took root in Bulgarian land before the formation of the Bulgarian state.
Reaction
Louis was not satisfied with Boris's plan, but he did not bring his fears to open up the conflict.
When the Byzantine mission converted the Bulgarians, their troops encouraged the people to destroy the Pagan shrines. Bulgarian aristocratic circles are conservative against such destruction, as they have led spiritual rituals. In 865, dissatisfied people from all ten administrative territories (rebels committed) rebelled against Prince Boris, accusing him of giving them "a bad law". The rebels moved towards the capital, intending to capture and kill Knyaz and restore the old religion.
All that is known is that Prince Boris gathers loyal people to him and suppresses the rebellion. He ordered the execution of 52 boyars who were leaders in the uprising, "together with their whole family". Ordinary people who "want to commit sins" are allowed to go without harm.
Until the end of his life, Prince Boris was haunted by a sense of guilt about the harshness of his actions and the moral price of his decision in 865. In a subsequent correspondence with Pope Nicholas I, the Prince asked whether his actions had crossed the boundaries of Christians. modesty. The Pope replied:
Different interpretations of historical records have led some historians to believe that Knyaz executes nearly half of Bulgarian aristocrats to end religious and political conflicts. His aristocratic opponents fear that the Byzantine Empire will spread its influence through Christianity and destroy Bulgaria. At this time during the Middle Ages, the Bulgarians considered "Christian" the equivalent of their traditional competitors "Byzantium", or "The Greeks", as it is most often called. Many Bulgarians think that along with Christianity, they will be compelled to accept the Byzantine way of life and morality.
Options between Roma and Constantinople
Prince Boris realized that the Christianization of his people would result in greater Byzantine influence. The liturgy is done in Greek, and the newly founded Bulgarian Church is inferior to the Church of Constantinople. The rebellion against a new religion prompted Knyaz to ask Constantinople to allow the independent status of the Bulgarian Church.
When Constantinople refused to grant the independence of the Bulgarian Church, Knyaz Boris turned to the Pope. At the end of August 866, the Bulgarian mission led by Kavana Peter arrived in Rome, carrying a list of 115 questions from Prince Boris. It has to do with the Christian way of life of the newly converted Bulgarians and the potential organization of the future Bulgarian Church under the jurisdiction of Rome. On 13 November 866, Knyaz of Bulgaria received 106 Pope answers. Formosa from Portua and Paul from Populon led the Pope's mission. At the same time, the Pope sent another messenger to Constantinople.
When the mission of the Roman clergy arrived, Boris was quite satisfied with Rome's response that he ordered the Byzantine mission to leave Bulgaria. This is seen as an official change of the Bulgarian orientation from Constantinople to Rome. Seeing the Roman envoys there, the German mission also left Bulgaria, satisfied that Bulgaria will be in Rome diocese.
Emperor Michael III was not pleased with the expulsion of Bulgaria against the Byzantine priest. In a letter to Prince Boris, the Byzantine emperor expressed his rejection of the reorientation of Bulgarian religion by using harsh language against the Roman Church. This sparked a long-standing rivalry between two branches of Christianity. In less than two years, the Bulgarian name became widely known in Western Europe.
In Constantinople, people were nervous about the events that took place in Bulgaria. They believed that pro-Romanian Bulgaria threatened the immediate interests of Constantinople. A religious council was held in the summer of 867 in the Byzantine capital, where scholars criticized the Roman Church's recruitment of Bulgaria. Pope Nicholas, I am symbolized.
Without loss of time, Prince Boris asked the Pope to appoint Formosus of Portus, who years later became Pope Formosus, as archbishop of Bulgaria. The Pope refused, with the official response being that Formosa already had an eparchy.
The Pope ordered new leaders, Dominic of Trivena and Grimwald of Polimarthia, from a mission to be sent to Bulgaria. Soon after, Nicolas died. His successor, Pope Adrian II (867-872), also failed to respond to Prince Boris's request for the appointment of a Bulgarian archbishop.
Prince Boris proposed another candidate for the archbishop of Bulgaria, Marinus. The present Marinus deacon is a pope's envoy in Constantinople and has no eparchy, but the Pope refuses. Instead, he received a cleric named Silvester, a very low man in a hierarchy who was not authorized to carry out the liturgy by himself. After he stayed for three days in Pliska, the Bulgarians sent him back to Rome accompanied by a messenger carrying a letter of complaint by Prince Boris. Boris considered Rome's rejection of his request and delay as an insult and a sign of the Pope's reluctance to coordinate his selection with him from a Bulgarian archbishop. Marinus became Pope several years later by the name of Pope Marinus I.
As a result, Boris began to negotiate again with Constantinople, with whom he expects more cooperation than shown in the past. However, on September 23, 867, Emperor Michael III was killed by Basil, who founded the Macedonian dynasty that ruled the Empire until 1057. Patriarch Photius was replaced by his ideological rival Ignatius (847-858; 867-877). The new ruler of the Byzantine Empire quickly reduced the tension between Constantinople and Rome. Pope Adrian II needs the help of Basil I against Arab attacks in Southern Italy. On the other hand, Byzantium anticipates the Pope's support for Patriarch Ignatius.
Results
As a result of the agreement of the leaders, a Church Council was held in Constantinople. Following the end of the official conference, on 28 February 870 the Bulgarian envoy arrived in Constantinople, sent by Knyaz and headed by Ichirguboil (first member of Knyaz's Council) Stasis, Kan-Bogatur high-ranking aristocracy) Sondoke, the Kan-Tarkan (high-ranking military commander) among others.
Few people suspect the true purpose of these messengers. On March 4, Emperor Basil I closed the hearing with a celebration at the Emperor's palace. The attendees were Bulgarian Kavkan (roughly vicekhan or viceknyaz) Peter. After he greeted the representatives of the Roman Church and Byzantium (the first Romans), Kavkan Peter asked under his jurisdiction, the Bulgarian Church must fall. The Roman representative was not ready to discuss the issue.
There appears to be a secret agreement between the Byzantine Patriarch, the Emperor and the Bulgarian envoy. Orthodox fathers immediately asked the Bulgarians whom the priests they found when they came to the land they now lead. They answered "Greek". Orthodox fathers claim that the right to oversee the Church of Bulgaria belongs only to the Church of Mother Constantinople, who has held power in these lands in the past.
Protest the pope's envoys are not taken into account. With the approval of Knyaz and the Council Fathers, the Bulgarian Church is declared a great archbishop. The archbishop will be chosen among the bishops with the approval of Knyaz. Formation of an independent Bulgarian archbishop is unprecedented. Typically, an independent church is a church founded by apostles or disciples of the apostles. For a long time, Rome had challenged Constantinople's claim of equality to Rome on the grounds that the Church of Constantinople was not founded by an apostle of Christ. Before the mid-ninth century, in officially united Church practice, there was no precedent for creating national churches among new converts. Such nationalization of churches and liturgies is remarkable and is not part of the practice of other European Christians. Bulgaria created this precedent and set an example for others to follow.
Only six years after his conversion, the Orthodox Church conferred Prince Boris a national independent church and a high-ranking supreme representative (archbishop). Over the next 10 years, Pope Adrian II and his successors tried desperately to regain influence in Bulgaria and to persuade Prince Boris to leave the territory of Constantinople.
The conversion of Bulgarians to Christianity and the formation of the Bulgarian National Church established the basis for an unprecedented cultural prosperity in Bulgaria that began after the arrival of the Holy disciples Cyril and Methodius, who under the protection of Prince Boris applied their teachers. The Slavonic alphabet and the established school of literature in Pliska and Ohrid. This then caused the Old Bulgarian Slavic language to become the official language of Church and State of Bulgaria in 893 AD during the Preslav Council and also the beginning of the Golden Age of medieval Bulgarian culture where the Cyrillic alphabet was created.
See also
- Saints Cyril and Methodius
- Cyrillic Scripts
- Boris I from Bulgaria
- The glagolytic alphabet
- Ballshi Inscription
Note
References
- Gjuzelev, V., (1988) Medieval Bulgarian, Byzantine Empire, Black Sea, Venice, Genoa (Center culturel du monde byzantin). Verlag Baier.
Bibliography
- Sullivan, R.E., (1994) Christian Missionary Activities in the Early Middle Ages (Variorum Collected Studies Series). Ashgate Publishing Limited, ISBN 0-86078-402-9.
- Vlasto, A.P., (1970) The entry of Slav into the Christian World: Introduction to the Slavic Slavic History of the Nation . Cambridge University Press.
Source of the article : Wikipedia
0 Comments