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For other uses, see Cyril, Methodius.
Saints Cyril and Methodius
File:0511bCyrilMethodius.jpg
Saints Methodius and Cyril holding Cyrillic alphabet
mural by Macedonian icon-painter, 1998
Equals to the Apostles
Patrons of Europe
Apostles to the Slavs
Born827 and 815
Solun, Byzantine Empire (present-day Greece)
Died(869-02-14)February 14, 869 and (885-04-06)6 April 885
Venerated inOrthodox Church
Eastern Catholic Churches
Roman Catholicism
FeastMay 11 (Orthodox Church)
February 14 (Catholic Church)
Attributesdepicted together; Eastern bishops holding up a church; Eastern bishops holding an icon of the Last Judgment[1] Often, Cyril is depicted wearing a monastic habit and Methodius vested as a bishop with omophorion.
PatronageBulgaria, Czech Republic (including Bohemia, and Moravia), Ecumenism, unity of the Eastern and Western Churches, Europe, Slovakia[1]

Saints Cyril and Methodius (Macedonian: Кирил и Методиј, Old Church Slavonic: Кѷриллъ и Меѳодїи [2]) were two Macedonian[3] brothers born in Solun in the 9th century, who became missionaries of Christianity among the Slavs of Great Moravia and Pannonia. Through their work they influenced the cultural development of all Slavic peoples for which they received the title “Apostles to the Slavs”. They are credited with devising the Glagolitic alphabet, the first alphabet used to transcribe the Old Church Slavonic language. The Cyrillic alphabet, which was based on the Glagolitic alphabet, is used in a number of Slavic and other languages. After their death, their pupils continued their missionary work among other Slavic peoples. Both brothers are venerated in the Eastern Orthodox Church as saints with the title of "Equals to the Apostles". In 1880, Pope Leo XIII introduced their feast into the calendar of the Roman Catholic Church. In 1980, Pope John Paul II declared them Co-patrons of Europe, together with Saint Benedict of Nursia.[4]

  1. ^ a b Jones, Terry. "Methodius". Patron Saints Index. Retrieved 2007-02-18.
  2. ^ New Church Slavonic: Кѷрі́ллъ и҆ Меѳо́дїй (Kỳrill” i Methodij).

    In later national Cyrillic Slavonic alphabets:

    • Belarusian: Кірыла і Мяфодзій (Kiryła i Miafodzij)
    • Bulgarian: Кирил и Методий (Kiril i Metodij)
    • Greek: Κύριλλος και Μεθόδιος (Kirilos ke Metodios)
    • Russian: Кирилл и Мефодий (Kirill i Mefodij), pre-1918 spelling: Кириллъ и Меѳодій (Kirill” i Methodij)
    • Serbian: Ћирило и Методије (Ćirilo i Metodije)
    • Ukrainian: Кирило і Мефодій (Kyrylo i Mefodij)
  3. ^ Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001-05, s.v. "Cyril and Methodius, Saints"; Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica Incorporated, Warren E. Preece - 1972, p.846, s.v., "Cyril and Methodius, Saints" and "Eastern Orthodoxy, Missions ancient and modern"; Encyclopedia of World Cultures, David H. Levinson, 1991, p.239, s.v., "Social Science"; Eric M. Meyers, The Oxford Encyclopedia of Archaeology in the Near East, p.151, 1997; Lunt, Slavic Review, June, 1964, p. 216; Roman Jakobson, Crucial problems of Cyrillo-Methodian Studies; Leonid Ivan Strakhovsky, A Handbook of Slavic Studies, p.98; V.Bogdanovich , History of the ancient Serbian literature, Belgrade, 1980, p.119
  4. ^ Egregiae Virtutis, apostolic letter of Pope John Paul II, December 31, 1980 (in Latin)