St. Photius

St. Photius was born in Constantinople about the year 820 in a rich and noble family. Photius received the best education for the time and was the most educated representative of the Byzantine Empire. He was a teacher in the prominent Magnaura School in Constantinople, also attended by the the Slavonic equal to Apostle Constantine – Cyril the Philosopher and later by the Bulgarian king Simeon the Great. Photius held prestigious positions in the state, but most of all he liked to research science. Because of his extraordinary gifts and high education he was nominated for Patriarch of Constantinople in 858. Patriarch Photius encouraged Constantine the Philosopher to become the Christian missionary to the Slavs. He wrote to the Bulgarian king Boris the First a detailed breve for the Christian belief and life. St. Photius left a great literary heritage, thanks to which we are aware of the works of ancient authors of his time. The Church remembers St. Photius on February 6. His name comes from the Greek word 'photos' meaning 'light' ('svetlina' in Bulgarian), and the Saint is the patron of everyone having “svetlina” in his or her name.