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Cyril and Methodius were two Greek brothers born in Thessaloniki in the 9th century, who became missionaries of Christianity in Khazaria and Great Moravia. They are credited with devising and spreading the Glagolitic alphabet, which was used for Slavonic manuscripts before the development of the Cyrillic, the alphabet derived from Glagolitic, that, with small modifications, is still used in a number of Slavic languages. After their death their pupils became missionaries among other Slavic peoples. Both brothers were canonized in Eastern Orthodoxy as "equal-to-apostles" and were glorified by the Roman Catholic Church in 1880.

Early life

Their father, Leon, was a Greek military officer in the thema of Thessaloniki and their mother his wife, Maria. Cyril's birth name was Constantine (Greek: Κωνσταντίνος Konstantínos) and he was probably renamed Cyril (Greek: 'Lordly') just before his death in Rome.

The two brothers lost their father at a young age, and their uncle Theoktistos (Greek: Θεόκτιστος) became their protector. Theoktistos was a "Logothetes tou dromou," a powerful Byzantine official, responsible for the postal services and the diplomatic relations of the Empire. He was also responsible, along with the regent Bardas, for initiating a far-reaching educational program within the Empire which culminated in the establishment of the University of Magnaura, where Constantine/Cyril was to teach.

Theoktistos invited (843) Cyril to Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire, and helped him continue his studies at the University there. He also arranged the placement of Methodius (Greek: Μεθόδιος Methódios) as an abbot in the famous Greek monastery of Polychron

Early career

The fact that Cyril was a master theologian with a good command of both the Arabic and Hebrew languages made him eligible for his first state mission to the Abbasid Caliph Al-Mutawakkil in order to discuss the principle of the Holy Trinity with the Arab theologian and to tighten the diplomatic relations between the Abbashid Caliphate and the Empire.

The two brothers' second mission (860) by the Byzantine Emperor Michael III and the Patriarch of Constantinople Photius (a professor of Cyril's at the University and his guiding light in earlier years) was a missionary expedition to the Khazar Khagan in order to prevent the expansion of Judaism there. This mission was unsuccessful, as later the Khagan imposed Judaism to his people as the national religion.

After their return to Constantinople, Cyril assumed the role of professor of Philosophy at the University while Methodius had been designated as the bishop of the Moni Polychroniou.

Moravian mission

In 862 they were invited by prince Rastislav to propagate Christianity in the Slavic language in Great Moravia, which they did until their deaths, Cyril's in 869 (in Rome) and Methodius' in 885 (in Great Moravia).

For the purpose of this mission, they devised the Glagolitic alphabet, an alphabet derived from the Greek alphabet and used for Slavonic manuscripts before the development of the Cyrillic, an alphabet derived from Glagolitic and the Greek alphabet, that with small modifications is still used in a number of Slavic languages.

They also translated Christian texts for Slavs into the language that is now called Old Church Slavonic and wrote the first Slavic Civil Code, which was used in Great Moravia. The language derived from Old Church Slavonic, known as Church Slavonic, is still used in liturgy by several Eastern Orthodox churches.

Commemoration

The saints' feast day is celebrated by the Eastern Orthodox Church on May 24 and by the Roman Catholic Church and the Anglican Church on 14 February as Saints Cyril and Methodius Day. It is a public holiday in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, the Republic of Macedonia, and Slovakia; it is celebrated in Russia as a holiday associated with the two brothers, who are considered patrons of learning and education.

In the Czech lands and Slovakia, the two brothers were originally commemorated on March 9, but Pope Pius IX changed this date to July 5. Today, the St. Cyril and Methodius Day, believed to be the date of the arrival of the two brothers to Great Moravia in 863, is a national holiday both in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Pope John Paul II promoted them to Patrons of Europe in 1980 (see Epistola Enciclica).

St. Cyril Peak and St. Methodius Peak on Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica are named for the two brothers.

Notes

1. The Cyrillic alphabet was developed in the beginning of the 10th century, and was named so in honor of St. Cyril. Its probable creator is Clement of Ohrid, one of the closest disciples of the two holy brothers. Compared to the earlier Glagolitic alphabet, it uses letters closer to those of the Greek alphabet, but has been adapted for use in some fifty languages.

See also

• Brotherhood of Saints Cyril and Methodius
• SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary
• St. Cyril and Methodius University
• SS. Cyril and Methodius National Library

External links

• Cyril and Methodius - Encyclical epistle, 31 December 1980 by Pope John Paul II
• "Cyril and Methodius, Saints" article in Encyclopædia Britannica.
• The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition, Cyril and Methodius, Saints.
• 24 May - is the Day of Cyrillic Alphabet and St. Cyril and St. Methody
• Cyril and Methodius in the "Catholic Encyclopedia"
• "Equal to Apostles SS. Cyril and Methodius Teachers of Slavs", by Prof. Nicolai D. Talberg

• Bible translators
• Greek saints
• Byzantine people
• People from Thessaloniki
• Great Moravia