Clement of Ohrid

Life events

1. Born — 840

   Clement was born around 830-840, most probably in the southern Macedonian region of the Byzantine Empire in the area around Thessaloniki, where Methodius had served during his political career. The hagiography by Theophylact of Ohrid calls him the first bishop in the Bulgarian language, while Demetrios Chomatenos describes him as one of the European Moesians, commonly known as Bulgarians.

2. Ordained — 867

   In 867 or 868 Clement was ordained a priest in Rome by bishops Formosus and Gauderic, alongside two other disciples of Cyril and Methodius: Gorazd and Naum.

3. Exiled — 885

   After the death of Methodius in 885, Clement headed the struggle against the German clergy in Great Moravia alongside Gorazd. After spending time in jail, he was expelled from Great Moravia and in 885 or 886 reached Belgrade, then within the borders of Bulgaria, together with Naum of Preslav and Angelarius.

4. Other — 886

   After arriving in Bulgaria, Clement and Naum were sent by Boris I to the capital of Pliska, where they were commissioned to instruct the future clergy in the Slavonic language. Boris viewed adoption of Old Slavonic as a means of preserving Bulgarian political independence from growing Byzantine influence.

5. Educated

   Between 886 and 893 Clement founded the Ohrid Literary School in Ohrid, personally teaching approximately 3,500 disciples in the Slavonic language and the Glagolitic alphabet in the region of Kutmichevitsa. During this period he also translated Christian literature into Old Church Slavonic.

6. Wrote

   Clement is credited with the Pannonian Hagiographies of Saints Cyril and Methodius, the translation of the Flower Triodion, and the composition of the oldest liturgical service dedicated to Saints Cyril and Methodius. He was one of the most prolific writers in Old Church Slavonic.

7. Consecrated — 893

   In 893 Clement was ordained archbishop (episcopus) of the Drembica and Velika bishopric, making him one of the first bishops of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church to conduct services in Old Church Slavonic.

8. Died — 916

   Clement died in 916 and was buried in his monastery, Saint Panteleimon, in Ohrid. He was canonized as a saint by the Bulgarian Orthodox Church shortly afterward and is counted among the Seven Apostles of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.

Relationships

Documented claims

• The invention of the Cyrillic alphabet is traditionally attributed to Clement, though scholarship more commonly places its development at the Preslav Literary School in the early 10th century. (disputed)
• In the seven years between 886 and 893, Clement taught approximately 3,500 disciples in the Slavonic language and the Glagolitic alphabet in the region of Kutmichevitsa. (likely)
• The first modern Bulgarian university, Sofia University, was named after Clement upon its foundation in 1888; the University of Bitola (founded 1979) and the Bulgarian Antarctic base on Livingston Island also bear his name. (certain)
• Clement authored the Pannonian Hagiographies of Saints Cyril and Methodius and composed the oldest known liturgical service dedicated to them, making him the primary source for the lives of his teachers. (likely)
• In May 2018 a signature identified as belonging to Clement was found on a stone at Ravna Monastery near Provadiya, dated April 24, 889, suggesting his disciples passed through that site after their expulsion from Great Moravia. (plausible)