DECEMBER 8 - Students' Day - is synonymous with wild parties and mountain resorts overcrowded with young people. 

But few people are aware of the reason why Bulgarian students celebrate on this day.

There is a common misconception that the date is related to the university crisis of 1907 when students of Sofia University booed and hissed King Ferdinand at the opening of the Ivan Vazov National Theatre.

The monarch's pride was hurt and he took severe measures to restore order.

As a result, police made many arrests and didn't hesitate when it came to the use of violence.

The university professors started a strike as a protest against the police action. The government responded to this by firing them.

Passions reached their apogee when a young clerk who had been fired shot then-prime minister Dimitar Petkov.

The university crisis deepened political and social tensions which would soon help to end the National Liberal Party's government.

But in fact, the reason why students celebrate on December 8 is less dramatic.

The origin of this holiday is related to the history of the oldest university in Bulgaria - Sofia University.

In 1902 Sofia University chose November 25, the day of its patron St Clement of Ohrid, to be a holiday for the university and its students. At this time Bulgaria still used the Julian calendar and the date now falls on December 8 on the present day calendar.

To differentiate it from students' day, Sofia University has decided to restore the initial date of its patron's holiday - November 25, as nowadays December 8 has become a holiday for the whole student community in Bulgaria.

 
The fact that this date originated from the day of St Clement of Ohrid is really just a note from history.

St Clement of Ohrid was not only a disciple of St Cyril and St Methodius, the inventors of the Slavic alphabet, but also one of the first writers and scholars in the new script.

Together with Naum and Angelarius, he went to Bulgaria after the death of Methodius in 885.

Boris I warmly welcomed them, considering the adoption of the new alphabet would be a good way to preserve the political and cultural independence of the country. He sent Clement to Kutmichevitsa (present-day Macedonia) to teach the Slavonic language.

According to his hagiography, Clement managed to teach over 3500 disciples in seven years and established many schools and monasteries He is also pointed to as the inventor of the Cyrillic alphabet.

Some historians believe that it was he who simplified the Glagolitic alphabet and named it after his teacher St Cyril, while others say this was more likely to have happened under the strong Byzantium influence at the Preslav Academy.

Clement of Ohrid also translated the Flower Triode and many other liturgy books, and left a rich written heritage. He died in 916 and soon after was canonised as a saint.