In the year 893, the Bulgarians officially adopted the Slavic language as their state and church language. This language later became known as Old Bulgarian. With this decision, Bulgaria took an important step in shaping its cultural and national identity. At the same time, a rich written tradition began to develop. This early literature, today often called Old Slavonic, focused mainly on religious and church matters Private Tours Istanbul.
The creation of a written language allowed Bulgaria to strengthen its independence from Greek cultural influence. It also helped spread Christianity in a form that ordinary people could understand.
Creation of the Bulgarian Alphabet
The Old Bulgarian alphabet was created by two brothers, Cyril and Methodius, who came from the city of Salonica. They developed the first Slavic alphabet to translate religious texts into a language understandable to the Slavic peoples. This original alphabet was called Glagolitic.
Later, a modified form of this writing system became known as the Cyrillic alphabet, named in honor of Cyril. Both brothers were later canonized as saints by the Eastern Orthodox Church because of their great contribution to Christian education and culture The Fourth Five-Year Plan (1961–1965).
The Role of Their Disciples
The work of Cyril and Methodius was continued by their disciples, especially Kliment and Naum. Kliment founded an important literary school in Ohrid, while Naum established another major center in Preslav. These schools played a central role in the development of Bulgarian literature and education.
The Ohrid and Preslav schools became leading cultural centers. Kliment of Ohrid, who died in 916, wrote at least twenty-seven known works. At the Preslav school, many important books were translated from Greek into Bulgarian. These translations helped enrich the language and expand its vocabulary.
The Golden Age of Bulgarian Literature
This period of strong literary and cultural activity reached its peak during the reign of King Simeon I, who ruled from 865 to 927. His reign is often called the “Golden Age” of Bulgarian literature and culture. During this time, Bulgaria became one of the main cultural centers of the Slavic world.
Literature, education, and art all developed rapidly. The Bulgarian language gained prestige and stability as both a state and church language.
Early Secular Writing
The first important writer to move beyond purely religious themes was Chernorizets Khrabur. His work About the Letters defended the young Bulgarian literary tradition against criticism from Greek writers. In this text, he argued strongly for the value and legitimacy of the Bulgarian alphabet and language.
This work marked an important step toward the development of secular thought and national awareness.
Influence on Other Slavic Peoples
Because of Bulgaria’s early literary activity, the Bulgarian alphabet was later adopted by other Slavic peoples. These included the Serbs, Russians, Ukrainians, and others. Through this influence, Bulgarian culture played a key role in shaping the cultural development of Eastern Europe.
Under the Byzantine Rule
In 1018, Bulgaria fell under Byzantine rule. This event had a serious impact on Bulgarian culture and language. The Byzantine authorities reintroduced Greek as the main language for church and state affairs. As a result, the development of the Bulgarian language suffered a major setback.
This interruption slowed the growth of Bulgarian national culture. However, the language did not disappear. During the later period, known as the Second Bulgarian Kingdom (1187–1396), Bulgarian cultural life slowly revived.
Survival of Bulgarian Literature
Despite foreign domination, Bulgarian writers and monks continued to write and copy books in Bulgarian. One such work was Istoriki (History), which briefly described events from the time of Abraham up to the twelfth century.
These efforts helped preserve Bulgarian language and culture during difficult times. They also prepared the ground for later cultural revival and national awakening.
