as the Glagolitic alphabet. In Bulgaria, Clement of Ohrid and Naum of Preslav created (or rather compiled) the new script which was called Cyrillic and was declared the official alphabet in Bulgaria in 893. Old Bulgarian was declared as the official language in the same year. In the following centuries this script was adopted by other Slavic peoples and states. The introduction of Slavic liturgy paralleled Boris' continued development of churches and monasteries throughout his realm. Reactions to religious conversion Conversion to Christianity met great opposition among the Bulgarian elite. Some refused to become Christians while others apostatized after baptism and started a rebellion against Boris for forcing them to be baptized. Some people did not object necessarily to the Christian religion but to the fact that it was brought by foreign priests, which, as a result, established external foreign policy. By breaking the power of the old cults, Boris reduced the influence of the boyars, who resisted the khan's authority. In the summer of 865 a group of Bulgar aristocrats (boyars) started an open revolt. Boris ruthlessly suppressed it and executed 52 boyars together with their entire families. Thus the Christianization continued. End of Boris' reign In 889 Boris abdicated the throne and became a monk. His son and successor Vladimir attempted a pagan reaction, which brought Boris out of retirement in 893. Vladimir was defeated and Boris had him blinded, his wife shaved and sent to a monastery. Boris gathered the Council of Preslav placing his third son, Tsar Simeon I of Bulgaria, on the throne, threatening him with the same fate if he too apostatized. Boris returned to his monastery, emerging once again in c. 895 to help Simeon fight the Magyars, who had invaded Bulgaria in alliance with the Byzantines. After the passing of this crisis, Boris resumed monastic life and died in 907. The location of his retreat, where perhaps he was interred, is not certain; it may be near Preslav, or Pliska, or in a monastery near Varna or Ravda. Legacy St. Boris Peak on Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica is named for Boris I of Bulgaria. Boris I's life is featured in the 1985 film "Boris I" (Борис Първи), with Stefan Danailov in the title role. See also Christianization of Bulgaria Cyril and Methodius Glagolitic alphabet Footnotes References Yordan Andreev, Ivan Lazarov, Plamen Pavlov, Koy koy e v srednovekovna Balgariya,