Boris the Baptizer of Bulgaria

Saint Boris, in baptism Michael, Prince of Bulgaria and Equal-to-the-Apostles, who brought his people to Christ.

Boris ruled Bulgaria in the ninth century and received baptism from Constantinople, taking the name Michael. He led his nobles and people into the Church, welcomed the disciples of Saints Cyril and Methodios, and fostered the Slavonic liturgy and letters.

Toward the end of his life he withdrew to a monastery, returning briefly to secure the Christian succession before ending his days as a monk in 907.

Feast day

On the New Calendar, Boris the Baptizer of Bulgaria is commemorated on May 2. Churches on the Old (Julian) Calendar keep the feast on May 15 of the civil calendar.

Who celebrates a name day

People with these names keep their name day on this feast:

Boris

Also commemorated on May 2

• 

  Athanasios of Alexandria

  Hierarch, Αθανάσιος ο Μέγας

  Archbishop of Alexandria, defender of the Nicene faith.

  Name days: Athanasios, Thanassis, Thanos, Nasis, Athanasius

• Hesperos and Zoe with their sons Kyriakos and Theodoulos

  Martyr, Έσπερος, Ζωή, Κυριάκος και Θεόδουλος

  Holy Martyrs Hesperos, Zoe and their children Kyriakos and Theodoulos, a Christian slave family martyred at Attalia.

  Name days: Hesperos, Esperos, Theodoulos, Theodulus, Zoe, Zoi, Zoey

• Matrona of Moscow

  Holy Woman, Ματρώνα η Μοσχοβίτισσα

  Blessed Matrona of Moscow, the blind ascetic and counselor of twentieth-century Russia.

  Name days: Matrona

• Basil the Blessed of Moscow

  Venerable, Βασίλειος ο διά Χριστόν Σαλός

  Blessed Basil, Fool-for-Christ of Moscow, who walked barefoot through the city and rebuked even the Tsar.

• Jordan the Wonderworker

  Venerable, Ιορδάνης ο Θαυματουργός

  Venerable Jordan the Wonderworker, an ascetic remembered in the Greek synaxarion.

  Name days: Iordanis, Jordan, Jordanis