Bulgarian Church Honors St. Kliment Ochridski Today

Today, the Orthodox Church honors the memory of St. Kliment Ochridski - one of the most important Bulgarian medieval writers, founder of the Ochrid Literary School and key figure in the formation of the Old Bulgarian Language.

It is accepted that he was born around 840 in the southwestern parts of Bulgaria. At young age Kliment participated in the Khazar and Alanian mission of the holy brothers Cyril and Methodius (patrons of Europe) in 859-861.

As their student he was part of their Great Moravian mission, and according to later Slavic biographies he was ordained by the Pope in Rome in 868.

 He is believed to have spent the next 15 years working with Methodius in Pannonia and Great Moravia. After the death of Methodius, the subsequent persecutions and imprisonment, Clement, together with two other students of the holy brothers - Nahum and Angelarius, returned to Bulgaria.

 According to the "Extensive Life of St. Kliment of Ochrid" by Theophylact of Ochrid, the three were greeted extremely warmly by Boris – the Knyaz of Bulgaria.

Shortly afterwards, Kliment was sent to Kutmichevitsa region of Macedonia on an important mission. Kliment settled in Ochrid and turned it into one of the most influential spiritual and literary centers of Bulgaria.

Theophylact called him "the first bishop to preach in Bulgarian."

He died in 916, and his relics are in the church of St. Panteleimon in Ochrid and soon after his death he was canonized.

St. Kliment Ochridski is one of the most significant Bulgarian medieval authors in the Old Bulgarian language, he wrote biographies of saints, “words of praise”, church hymns, translated clerical texts.

November 25 is also the official holiday of the Sofia University, which patron is St. Kliment Ochridski.

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