Saint Michael (boris), Tsar of Bulgaria

Life

Born and raised as a pagan. Boris was baptized under the influence of his uncle Boyan and his sister. At his baptism he received the name Michael. Patriarch Photius sent him priests, who gradually baptized the entire Bulgarian people. Many nobles in Bulgaria opposed the new faith, but the new faith prevailed, and the cross shone upon many churches built by the pious Tsar Michael. The faith among the Bulgarians, as among the Serbs, was strengthened especially by the Five Disciples of Ohrid, students of Saints Cyril and Methodius, who preached the teaching of Christ to the people in the native Slavonic tongue. Michael became a monk in old age and withdrew to a monastery. But when his son Vladimir began to undo his father's work and suppress Christianity, Michael donned his princely garments again, girded on a sword, removed Vladimir from the throne, and placed his younger son Simeon upon it. Then he again put on the monastic habit, withdrew into silence, and in ascetical struggle and prayer peacefully ended his earthly life "in the good faith, in the true confession of our Lord Jesus Christ, great, honorable, and pious," and departed to the heavenly life on May 2, 906.