ЗА ДИВАТА И ПИТОМНАТА МАСЛИНА: БЪЛГАРИТЕ В ХРИСТИЯНСКАТА ОЙКУМЕНА СПОРЕД ВИЗАНТИЙСКОТО СЛОВО "ЗА МИРА С БЪЛГАРИТЕ”
ABOUT THE WILD AND CULTIVATED OLIVE: THE BULGARIANS IN THE CHRISTIAN OIKOUMENE ACCORDING TO THE BYZANTINE ORATION “ON THE TREATY WITH THE BULGARIANS"

Summary/Abstract: The conclusion of the Byzantine-Bulgarian peace in 927, ending the long-lasting conflict of the Empire with the state of Simeon I the Great (893–927), gave an opportunity to a summarize the history of relations between both the states. An anonymous member of the Byzantine court of emperor Romanos I Lekapenos (920–944) prepared an oration on that occasion in which he characterized, e.g., the place of Bulgaria and the Bulgarians in Byzantine political and religious views. In the light of this speech, until the time of their official Christianization, the latter were miserable wagon-dwellers and nomads, deprived of their own land and wandering in the world without purpose or knowledge of God. The Byzantines, on the other hand, constituted the New Israel, the Chosen People of the New Covenant, hence Byzantine-Bulgarian mutual relations were marked by deep division and conflict. The situation changed radically with the reception of the Holy Baptism by the Bulgarians, because now united in one spiritual body of the Church, worshipping God together, both ‘nations’ flourished. The Byzantines then became the spiritual fathers and teachers of the Bulgarians in the faith. Any violation of God's order of family and brotherly relations, expressed in the rise of spiritual sons against their spiritual fathers, was considered as a sign of arrogance and impiety.

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