СВ. СВ. КИРИЛ И МЕТОДИЙ: ПРЕДТЕЧИ НА ЗЛАТНАТА ЕПОХА (РАЗМИСЛИ ВЪРХУ НЯКОЛКО ПРОИЗВЕДЕНИЯ НА ИВАН ВАЗОВ)
ST. CYRIL AND ST. METHODIUS: ANCESTORS OF THE GOLDEN AGE (THOUGHTS ON A FEW WORKS OF IVAN VAZOV)

Summary/Abstract: The mythology-anachronism of Paisius of Hilendar about the Baptizing of Bulgarians directly by St. Methodius is part of the works of lots of Bulgarian Renaissance authors and has been developed as a figurative construction in different genres. What is interesting is that it has even been used by Ivan Vazov. This work looks at a few not-so-famous texts by him (“The Big Day”, “11th May”, “Tzar Boris and the Idol Worshippers”) in which, by this figurative construction, St. Cyril and St. Methodius are taken as Baptists, ancestors of the Golden Age of Bulgaria and saviors of our nation in later times. It is not the details that are important to Vazov but the very existence of this fiction, its spreading and most of all the perception of it by Bulgarians. He realizes the need of this legend that turns into a myth and brings pride, hope and confidence in many Bulgarians. Because the Renaissance is that part of our history when the idea of our historical events changes. Bulgarians both subconsciously and consciously want change. More like an external expression of change: they want freedom and national identification in the modern European world.

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