Boyan-Enravota of Bulgaria

Boyan-Enravota was a Bulgarian prince of the ninth century who is honored as the first martyr of the Bulgarian land and the earliest Bulgarian saint to be canonized. By tradition he was the eldest son of the pagan ruler Khan Omurtag, and was also known by the names Voin, meaning "warrior," and Boyan. He is commemorated on March 28.

According to the account, Enravota came to faith in Christ through the witness of a Byzantine Christian held captive at the Bulgarian court, whose preaching persuaded him to be baptized. This took place after the death of his father, when the Bulgarian throne had passed to his younger brother Malamir, who succeeded Omurtag and remained committed to the old pagan religion of the court.

When Malamir learned that his brother had become a Christian, he pressed him to renounce the faith. Enravota refused, and was put to death by his brother's order around the year 833. Honored as the first-fruits of Christ among the Bulgarians, his martyrdom is remembered as preceding by some decades the conversion of the Bulgarian people under Saint Boris-Michael.