Creation_of_the_Slavic_writing_system First_Bulgarian_Empire

the old bulgarian alphabet

although boris i had succeeded in securing autonomous church, higher clergy , theological books still greek, impeded efforts convert populace new religion. between 860 , 863 byzantine monks saints cyril , methodius created glagolitic alphabet, first slavic alphabet order of byzantine emperor, aimed convert great moravia orthodox christianity. language used called later historians old church slavonic , based on local slavic dialect spoken in region of thessaloniki, hence known old bulgarian. ultimately, brothers mission establish slavic liturgy in great moravia failed. in 886 disciples clement, naum , angelarius, had been banished great moravia, reached bulgaria , received warm welcome boris i. began preach in bulgaria , work of slavic mission of cyril , methodius saved.

the bulgarian monarch commissioned creation of 2 theological academies headed disciples future bulgarian clergy instructed in bulgarian vernacular. clement sent southwestern province kutmichevitsa in macedonia, founded ohrid literary school. there, educated 3,500 pupils between 886 , 907. naum established literary school in capital pliska, moved later new capital preslav. eventually, naum sent ohrid. rationale centre literary activities far away capital @ time byzantine archbishop still resided in pliska. in late 9th or 10th century cyrillic script created @ preslav literary school. based on greek letters , included number of original ones sounds non-existent in greek, adding 14 letters existing 24 greek ones. in next few decades new script replaced glagolitic alphabet in bulgaria , spread in whole eastern orthodox slavic world. today more 250 million people in eurasia use official alphabet national languages.