What date is the day of Slavic writing and culture. Day of Slavic Literature and Culture (Day of Saints Methodius and Cyril). History of the holiday of Slavic writing

Saints Methodius and Cyril created Slavic alphabet and united the Slavs with a single script and a single Holy Orthodox faith. The holy enlighteners brought us writing, translated it into Slavic language Divine Liturgy and thus laid the foundation for both Russian and all Slavic culture. Therefore, Equal-to-the-Apostles Methodius and Cyril are revered by all Slavic peoples as their Heavenly patrons.

The siblings Cyril and Methodius came from a pious family that lived in the Greek city of Thessaloniki (in Macedonia). They were the children of the same governor, a Bulgarian Slav. Saint Methodius was the eldest of seven brothers, Saint Constantine (Cyril was his monastic name) the youngest.

Saint Methodius first served, like his father, in a military rank. The Tsar, having learned about him as a good warrior, made him governor of one Slavic principality of Slavinia, which was under the Greek power. This happened at the special discretion of God and so that Methodius could better learn the Slavic language, as the future spiritual teacher and shepherd of the Slavs. Having served in the rank of governor for about 10 years and having experienced the vanity of everyday life, Methodius began to dispose his will to renounce everything earthly and direct his thoughts to the heavenly. Leaving the province and all the pleasures of the world, he became a monk on Mount Olympus.
His brother Saint Constantine, from his youth, showed brilliant success in both secular and religious-moral education. He studied with the young Emperor Michael from the best teachers Constantinople, including Photius, the future Patriarch of Constantinople. Having received an excellent education, he perfectly comprehended all the sciences of his time and many languages; he especially diligently studied the works of St. Gregory the Theologian, for which he received the nickname Philosopher (wise). At the end of his studies, Saint Constantine accepted the rank of priest and was appointed keeper of the patriarchal library at the Church of Saint Sophia. But, neglecting all the benefits of his position, he retired to one of the monasteries near the Black Sea.
Soon the emperor summoned both holy brothers from the monastery and sent them to the Khazars to preach the gospel. On the way, they stopped for some time in the city of Korsun, preparing for the sermon.

Soon, ambassadors from the Moravian prince Rostislav, oppressed by the German bishops, came to the emperor with a request to send teachers to Moravia who could preach in the native language of the Slavs. The emperor called Saint Constantine and told him: “You need to go there, because no one will do this better than you.” Saint Constantine, with fasting and prayer, began a new feat. With the help of his brother Saint Methodius and his disciples Gorazd, Clement, Savva, Naum and Angelar, he compiled the Slavic alphabet and translated into Slavic the books without which the Divine service could not be performed: the Gospel, the Psalter and selected services. Some chroniclers report that the first words written in the Slavic language were the words of the Apostle Evangelist John: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was to God, and God was the Word.” This was in 963.

IN last years During his life, Saint Methodius, with the help of two disciple-priests, translated the entire Old Testament, except for the Maccabean books, as well as the Nomocanon (Rules of the Holy Fathers) and the patristic books (Paterikon).

Cyril and Methodius to the Slavs
They brought writing as a gift,
Now given to the saints by God,
We send our bow to the ground,
May the centuries prosper
All Orthodox people
Children learn to read and write,
Culture lives forever! ©

The gray-haired servants presented the Gifts,
Slavic scriptures, sacred works,
And in the holiness of patience, holy humility,
We were told about writing in our native language.
So let the bright memory live in your soul,
For deeds of conscience, and for the holy people.
For those who believed in God and laid down their souls.
So that you respect your language and value your word. ©

... Shut up today! Let's start reading
Studying the book from the inside!
Give preference not to sounds -
Letters (do you remember how many? Thirty-three)!
Native language fertility
Taste the elementary truth!
Happy Saints Cyril and Methodius Day,
Who gave writing to Rus'! ©

Methodius and Cyril - brother -
Holy priests
in its own Cyrillic alphabet
The people were united.
Slavic culture
We took it as a basis.
Appreciate your native speech,
So that the word does not perish! ©

There are no more significant discoveries for the Slavs,
Than that more than 10 centuries ago,
Among other historical events,
Brother Methodius and brother Cyril did it.
They left a treasure for the nations,
Treasure of Slavic languages,
Without them we would not describe our species,
Without them we would not write poetry.
Let us honor the bright memory of these saints,
What will not be forgotten over many years,
If all their labors were not in the world,
If we did not know the light of enlightenment! ©

Brothers Equal to the Apostles,
What writing was able to give us -
Methodius the Elder, and Cyril,
laid a solid foundation,
Having created the Cyrillic alphabet, the structure
Slavic alphabet. Culture,
Since then, flourishing for centuries,
Celebrated on the twentieth of May,
Like a bright holiday. Well, Slavs,
Let's congratulate you on this day
Each other, honoring the memory of brothers,
Let the pages rustle! ©

Every year in Russia they celebrate the most historical and national holiday - Day Slavic writing and culture, May 24. How did he appear? Who is it dedicated to? How is it usually celebrated? Answers to these and many others important questions can be found in this article.

History of origin

May 24 is the Day of Slavic Literature and Culture. The date of its origin is unknown. People only know for sure that the creators of the holiday are the famous two brothers - Methodius and Cyril. They - preachers of Christianity - tried to translate Greek letters into an understandable Slavic language. The first alphabet appeared approximately 1150 years ago.

The holiday was established by church workers: they considered that this literary feat worthy of special attention!

First, in 1980, Bulgarians began to celebrate this holiday. Gradually, Russian people, Ukrainians and Belarusians began to adhere to this tradition.

Interesting facts about the origin of the alphabet

Two brothers lived around the middle of the 9th century. All their lives they preached in the Greek city of Thessaloniki, devoting their existence to the study of Slavic writing. Real name younger brother- Konstantin. As a young man, he decided to become a monk, renaming himself Kirill. It was he who first thought about how to make the Greek language more understandable. Konstantin began to translate each letter into the Slavic language. In honor of his new name, he named the created alphabet “Cyrillic”. Konstantin's interest was fully supported by his older brother. Together they managed to create the very alphabet that every Russian person studies in junior classes schools.

The morning begins with a discussion

The history of the day of Slavic writing and culture is known to almost every person. In Russia, this day begins with the fact that on all the news of the central channels they congratulate on a wonderful event and reveal the most Interesting Facts about the holiday.

Early in the morning, poets and writers unite in order to resolve pressing problems and take any measures to solve them. Every city hosts important forums with discussions.

Who is the holiday dedicated to?

Many people are concerned about the question of who is the holiday of Slavic writing and culture dedicated to? Absolutely all people living in the territory have the right to celebrate it Russian Federation and in other regions. All inhabitants of planet Earth are related to the alphabet to one degree or another. They write letters, read, learn letters in school years. Their distant ancestors did the same.

You should definitely thank the creators of the main national event on this day by visiting the church.

Activities for children

In each region, on May 24, before the last bell, an event is held, dedicated to the day Slavic writing and culture for children. Of course, the kids from kindergarten It is difficult to perceive such information, but schoolchildren master it in full. The ceremonial event is usually divided into several main parts:

• First of all, class hours are organized. Teachers or guests from the local library come to schoolchildren to tell everyone about a short history about the occurrence of this memorable event. For clarity, they use pictures, videos or presentations. In some cases, the children themselves prepare for this holiday. They first prepare a report on this topic and take turns telling each other interesting facts.
• Next, teachers tell their students about the best works in the field of world literature and recommend a list of books that should be read during the summer holidays.
• The third part of the program is a formal event, which is usually held in the assembly hall. Children are preparing for it for a long time. They read poetry from the stage and act out scenes from famous works of art and sing songs.

If the holiday May 24, Day of Slavic Literature and Culture, falls on a weekend, then it is held on the last weekday before it.

Activities for adults

The celebration of the day of Slavic literature and culture in each region is also held for adults. It is also divided into several main components.

• First of all, the award ceremony takes place in palaces, city squares or parks. The most outstanding teachers, philologists, librarians, poets, novelists, poets and other literary workers receive gratitude for their services in this difficult work.
• The second part of the ceremony is the concert. Local amateur groups perform there, modern poets read their own poems, and you can also see several interesting skits.
• In some cities, quizzes are held for those who are well acquainted with the history of this holiday. By participating in the competition, you can win a valuable souvenir.

In every corner of the country on May 24, the Day of Slavic Literature and Culture, there is some special peaceful atmosphere.

Cultural and entertainment events

A free exhibition is organized in every city on the Day of Slavic Literature and Culture. It will be interesting to absolutely every person, even those who are distant from the literary field. On it you can see what the paintings of Cyril and Methodius, the first Slavic letters and ancient books looked like.

Almost everything is open on this day history museums. For everyone, there are educational lessons, which allow you to better get acquainted with this national holiday. In the evening, poetry concerts are held in many halls, at which the most outstanding poets with their the best works. Basically, all events on this day are free of charge.

Services are held in churches. All believers can come to the temple and thank the two holy brothers for huge contribution into literary work.

Presents

What to give to the hero of the occasion on this day? There are several options. You can make your choice depending on your financial capabilities:

• A souvenir or figurine to decorate the desk of a creative person.
• Elite pen in gift packaging.
• Printer ink or a pack of white paper.
• Exclusive book.
• Notebook.
• Computer, laptop or any component for it (mouse, pad, keyboard, etc.).
• Lamp for lighting.

It is not at all necessary that the gift be related to literary activity. You can also please a person with a bouquet of flowers, fragrant perfume or jewelry. It will be nice to receive any sweet souvenir that will have a positive effect on a person’s intellectual activity.

In verse

It is important to think in advance about holding the Day of Slavic Literature and Culture, but it is also necessary to take care in advance of preparing a congratulatory speech for the hero of the occasion. For example, you can use the following option for this purpose:

“Before your eyes there is always an empty piece of paper,

So today I want to write a small congratulations on it.

Let all your letters easily form words.

And colorful sentences are formed from them.”

Capacious, bright and a little congratulations Any person related to literature will be glad to hear.

In prose

It is very difficult to surprise a talented person whose work is related to literature with a beautiful verse. It is best to prepare a congratulation in prose, which will be filled with maximum sincerity, touching and tenderness. For example, the following message would be suitable for this purpose:

“Today is the day of glory of Slavic writing. I would like to congratulate you on your professional holiday. May your talent never leave you, may the muse always be present and good mood, which will allow you to create new legendary projects. We really want to thank you for your invaluable work. Thanks to you, we were able to learn to love, think correctly and enjoy life. We wish you good health, new ideas and the achievement of all your goals.”

This text is perfect for congratulating a poet, writer, librarian, or any person whose work is directly related to literature.

Every year on May 24, a legendary holiday dedicated to Slavic writing and culture takes place. No one can simply remain indifferent to him. They sound in every city pleasant words Thematic exhibitions and events are held to address outstanding specialists. Unfortunately, this day has not yet been declared a holiday, so people are forced to go to work. In the evening they can also join this pleasant event. The main purpose of it is to learn to appreciate the importance of literature for every person.

This holiday is associated with the names of the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles brothers Cyril and Methodius - Slavic enlighteners, creators of the Slavic alphabet, the first translators of liturgical books from Greek into Slavic.

To the 1152nd anniversary of the creation of Slavic writing

It was they, the Bulgarian enlighteners Cyril and Methodius, who created the first Slavic alphabet, which we use to this day. The alphabet got its name from the name of the youngest of the brothers - the Cyrillic alphabet.
The history of the Cyrillic alphabet is inseparably linked with Orthodoxy. Using the alphabet they created, the brothers translated from Greek Holy Scripture and a number of liturgical books.

The first words written in Slavic alphabet were the opening lines of the Easter Gospel of John:
In the beginning was the Word
And the Word was with God,
And the Word was God.

It is no coincidence that the life feat of Cyril and Methodius is equated with the apostolic one, calling them the “first teachers” of the Slavs. Equal-to-the-Apostles Cyril and Methodius were canonized in ancient times. In Russian Orthodox Church The memory of the Equal-to-the-Apostles enlighteners of the Slavs has been celebrated since the 11th century.

The solemn celebration of the memory of Saints Cyril and Methodius was established in the Russian Church in 1863.

The day of remembrance of Cyril and Methodius established by the church is May 24, new style.- is now celebrated in Russia as a public holiday.

The Day of Slavic Literature and Culture is the only church and state holiday in our country.

On the Days of Slavic Literature and Culture, many cities hold scientific conferences, readings, exhibitions and concerts. Festive services and solemn religious processions are held in the churches of the Russian Orthodox Church.
The holiday of Slavic writing reminds us of the origins of our spirituality, that Russian culture inherits the ancient and great traditions of Slavic culture, and the role of writing in its formation and development.

2015 marks 1152 years since the emergence of Slavic writing - on May 24, 863, in the city of Pliska, the then capital of Bulgaria, the Solun brothers Cyril and Methodius announced the invention of the Slavic alphabet.

Enlighteners of the Slavs - Saints Equal-to-the-Apostles Cyril and Methodius

The holy Equal-to-the-Apostles first teachers and Slavic educators Methodius (about 815-885) and Cyril (about 827-869; before accepting monasticism in early 869 - Constantine) - brothers, originally from the city of Thessaloniki (Thessaloniki).

Coming from a noble and wealthy Christian family, they received excellent education. Methodius, the elder brother, being on military service, ruled by one of his subordinates Byzantine Empire Slavic principalities (possibly Bulgarian), where he learned the Slavic language. Ten years later, he left his reign and became a monk on Mount Olympus (in Asia Minor). Constantine, who surprised everyone with his abilities even as a child, received an education together with the young son of the Byzantine Emperor Michael III from the best teachers in Constantinople. He perfectly comprehended the sciences of his time and many languages, for which he was nicknamed the Philosopher. Having been ordained a priest, he became the keeper of the patriarchal library at the Church of St. Sophia, then taught philosophy at the highest school in Constantinople. At the age of 24, he was sent on a dangerous and difficult mission to the Muslim Saracens to conduct a philosophical and theological debate. Constantine coped with the task brilliantly, refuting all the arguments of Muslim philosophers, for which they even tried to kill (poison) the young Christian, but he remained unharmed. Returning to his homeland, Constantine retired to Olympus to his brother Methodius. However, in 858, Emperor Michael summoned both brothers to preach the Gospel among the Khazars. On the way, the brothers stopped in Korsun ( Old Russian name city ​​of Chersonese), where Constantine learned the Hebrew and Samaritan languages.

After some time, the emperor again summoned the brothers, responding to the request of the Moravian prince Rostislav to send teachers who could preach Christianity in the Slavic language.

Cyril and Methodius - miniature from the Radziwill Chronicle (XIII century)

In 863, Constantine, with the help of Methodius and several disciples, compiled the Slavic alphabet and translated several books, without which it is impossible to perform divine services: the Gospel, the Apostle, the Psalter and selected services. It is no coincidence that the Slavic alphabet created by Konstantin (Kirill) is called the Cyrillic alphabet. In fact, we still use it today.

In 1708, at the direction of Peter I, the alphabet was reformed for publications in the civil press; it was this version that formed the basis of the modern Russian font.

In Rome, Saint Constantine fell ill and shortly before his death (February 14, 869) he accepted the schema with the name Cyril. By decision of Pope Adrian II, the relics of St. Cyril were placed in the Basilica of St. Clement in Rome, where miracles began to be performed from them.

The Pope ordained Saint Methodius as Archbishop of Moravia and Pannonia. While in this post, Saint Methodius continued to establish divine services in the Slavic language; he did a lot to educate the Slavs with the help of book writing.

The first teacher of Slovenia, Methodius, ended his high earthly ministry on April 6, 885. He was buried in the cathedral church of Velehrad, the capital of Great Moravia.

The spiritual feat of Saints Cyril and Methodius, Equal to the Apostles, is attested in extensive hagiographic literature, in words of praise and religious hymns, in ancient church services and chants, on icons and in church paintings, in artistic prose, in poetry and in numerous scientific works.

CYRILLIC AND GLAGOLITIC

The question of the conditions for the appearance of two alphabets in Old Church Slavonic writing, their comparative antiquity, their sources and their compilers was for a long time one of the most controversial and discussed.

In Bulgaria

In Bulgaria, the Day of Education, Culture and Slavic Literature is an official national holiday.

The tradition of celebrating the Day of Slavic Literature arose in mid-19th century, but its roots go back to the capital of Pliska - the ancient capital of Bulgaria. It was here in 886, after the death of both enlighteners, that their disciples arrived - Clement, Naum, Gorazd, Angelarius, whom the Bulgarian ruler Prince Boris received with triumphal honors.
In Pliska, a comprehensive program for distributing the alphabet within the then Bulgarian state was soon developed.

It turned out that just two decades after the adoption of Christianity in Bulgaria, thanks to the alphabet of Cyril and Methodius, liturgical and theological literature began to be translated into Slavic. A fact that is significant because for the first time in the history of Christianity the monopoly of the three “ancient sacred languages” - Latin, Greek and Hebrew - in the spiritual life of Europe was broken (in France the Gospel was translated into National language only three, in England - five, and in Germany - seven centuries after Bulgaria).

In 1892, a music teacher from Ruse, Stoyan Mihailovsky (1856-1927), wrote the text of a school anthem called “The Hymn of Saints Cyril and Methodius.” The anthem consisted of 14 stanzas, of which the first six are usually sung. Bulgarians know him by the first line: “Varvi, people vzrodeni!” (“Forward, reborn people!”). In 1900, the composer Panayot Pipkov (1871-1942), then a teacher in Lovech, wrote music for the anthem.

With introduction in Bulgaria Gregorian calendar in 1916 church and secular holiday was merged into one - on May 24. In 1969 church calendar was artificially separated from the secular, and the holiday fell on May 11 and 24, respectively. In 1990, by decision of the 9th People's Assembly In Bulgaria, May 24 was declared an official holiday - the Day of Bulgarian Education, Culture and Slavic Literature.

In Russia

And the native Rus' of the Holy Apostles of the Slavs will glorify...
From the hymn in honor of Cyril and Methodius

In Russia, the first traditions of honoring the memory of Cyril and Methodius were established in the 11th century. One evidence of this is the Archangel Gospel of 1092, which mentions Cyril on February 14, and Methodius on April 6. It was Russia that introduced the general date of celebration into the church calendar - May 11 (May 24, new style).

Bishop Anthony of Smolensk (Amphitheaters) attracted wide attention to the fate of the holiday of Slavic enlighteners. The first celebrations of the Slavic word took place in Moscow in 1862. The monument “Millennium of Russia” was unveiled in Novgorod, on which the images of Cyril and Methodius, whose activities coincided with the formation of Russian statehood, were immortalized.

Since 1863, holiday celebrations took place in other cities, and in each city the program had its own characteristics. In Kyiv, for example, students founded Slavic library Saints Cyril and Methodius.

IN pre-revolutionary Russia Day of Remembrance of the Thessaloniki Brothers different time noted differently. Widely - in 1869 and 1885, when it was a thousand years since the death of the Slavic enlighteners, more modestly - in other years.
For some time, celebrations in honor of the creators of the first Slavic alphabet were not held at all.

The first scientific celebrations took place only in May 1963. Scientists then organized a conference dedicated to the 1100th anniversary of the creation of the Slavic alphabet.

The initiative to revive the celebration of the Days of Slavic Literature in Russia belongs to the Murmansk Writers' Organization and in particular to the writer Vitaly Maslov. In 1986, the first holiday called the “Festival of Writing” was held in Murmansk. As a token of gratitude to Murmansk residents for renewing ancient traditions, the Bulgarians presented the city with a monument to the creators of the Slavic alphabet.

In 1988, the holiday was especially lucky - it coincided with the 1000th anniversary of the baptism of Rus' and was held in ancient Novgorod. The Baptism of Rus' marked the beginning of writing, but writing also contributed to the spread of the new faith. Here, in ancient center Russia, and after Kiev, writing began to spread.

In 1989, the main celebrations took place in Kyiv. For the first time the holiday was held at active participation Foundation of Slavic Literature and Culture, created in 1989.

Since 1991, the Day of Slavic Literature and Culture has become a public holiday, the center of the celebrations was in Smolensk. Then, in order to unite the Slavic peoples on the basis of common roots, the Slavic Movement was carried out.

In 1992, Moscow became the center of the holiday. The First International Congress took place in the capital Slavic cultures. A monument to Cyril and Methodius was unveiled on Slavyanskaya Square.

Since 2010, Moscow has become the annual capital of the Days of Slavic Literature. This decision was made in March 2009 by participants in a visiting meeting of the festival’s organizing committee in Saratov. Metropolitan Juvenaly of Krutitsky and Kolomna made such a proposal on behalf of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus'. The proposal to designate Moscow as the capital of the holiday was supported by the Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation, Alexander Avdeev.

“The capital of the holiday should be Moscow, since this is a state, church holiday, and it should be celebrated as actively as possible throughout the country. In this sense, the centers of the federal subjects should become its regional capitals,” the minister said.

In Pskov

In Pskov, festivities dedicated to Saints Cyril and Methodius took place for the first time on April 6, 1885. During the celebrations, the Trinity Cathedral was presented with an icon of Saints Cyril and Methodius, purchased with funds from the Pskov City Duma.

In the same year, a brotherhood was created in Pskov in the name of the holy first teachers. Its goal is to raise charitable funds to support parochial schools, create parish libraries and maintain existing ones.
After the Days of Slavic Literature were declared a state holiday in Russia in 1991, celebrations in Pskov began to be celebrated more widely and variedly.

In 1993, an organizational meeting of the Pskov Religious and Philosophical Society named after Cyril and Methodius took place, which continued the educational traditions of the pre-revolutionary Cyril and Methodius Society.

In 1999, Pskov became the center of celebration of the Days of Slavic Literature and Culture.

On the Days of Celebrations, May 24, 1999 on the wall of the Holy Trinity cathedral A memorial plaque dedicated to Saints Equal-to-the-Apostles Cyril and Methodius was unveiled. The board was made and donated to Pskov by sculptor V. M. Klykov.

For more than 10 years, on May 24, the Day of Slavic Literature, a holiday for school graduates of the city has been held in the Pskov Kremlin on Vechevaya Square near the Trinity Cathedral.
According to tradition, paying tribute to the memory of Saints Cyril and Methodius, the best graduates lay flowers at the memorial plaque of Saints Cyril and Methodius at the walls of the Trinity Cathedral.

The film tells the story of the emergence of the Slavic alphabet - the Cyrillic alphabet - and how Russia took its place as the leader of the Eastern Christian Cyrillic civilization.

The great saints Cyril and Methodius created a universal principle - every nation is worthy of learning the Word of God in its own native language. And now this principle continues to be implemented. The film tells how alphabets are created on the basis of the Cyrillic alphabet for the previously unwritten languages ​​of the peoples of Russia. And russian Orthodox priest- the modern successor of Cyril and Methodius - comes with dogs to the yurts and teaches the Kamchatka Koryaks to read the Gospel, printed in Cyrillic in Koryak.

But there were times when the fate of the Russian alphabet seemed to hang by a thread. In the 20s of the last century, the Bolsheviks hatched plans to replace the Cyrillic alphabet with the Latin alphabet. Lunacharsky actively supported this project. The Cyrillic alphabet was then considered a reactionary tsarist alphabet that interfered with the world revolution. But main goal The Bolsheviks were, of course, to format the spiritual memory of the people in their own way, to deprive future generations of the opportunity to read everything that had been accumulated during the centuries-old Russian history.

The holy Equal-to-the-Apostles first teachers and Slavic educators, the brothers Cyril and Methodius, came from a noble and pious family that lived in the Greek city of Thessaloniki.

Saint Methodius was the eldest of seven brothers, and Saint Constantine, which was the name of Saint Cyril before becoming a monk, was the youngest. Saint Methodius was at first in a military rank and was a ruler in one of the Slavic principalities subordinate to the Byzantine Empire. Having stayed there for about ten years, Saint Methodius then became a monk in one of the monasteries on Mount Olympus in Asia Minor.

From an early age, Saint Constantine was distinguished by great abilities and studied together with the young Emperor Michael from the best teachers of Constantinople, including Photius, the future Patriarch of Constantinople.

Upon completion of his studies, Saint Constantine accepted holy orders and was appointed custodian of the patriarchal library at the Church of Saint Sophia, but soon left the capital and secretly entered a monastery. Returned to Constantinople, he was appointed teacher of philosophy at the higher school of Constantinople. After some time, Saint Constantine came to his brother on Olympus, spending time in unceasing prayer and reading the works of the holy fathers. Soon the emperor summoned both holy brothers from the monastery and sent them to the Khazars to preach the gospel.

On the way, they stopped for some time in the city of Korsun, preparing for the sermon. There are holy brothers miraculously found the relics of the Holy Martyr Clement, Pope of Rome. After this, they went to the Khazars, preaching the Gospel teaching. On the way home, the brothers again visited Korsun and, taking the relics of Saint Clement there, returned to Constantinople.

Saint Constantine remained in the capital, and Saint Methodius received the abbess in a small monastery, not far from Mount Olympus, where he had worked before. Soon, ambassadors from the Moravian prince Rostislav came to the emperor with a request to send teachers to Moravia who could preach in the native language of the Slavs. The emperor summoned Saint Constantine, who, with fasting and prayer, began a new feat. With the help of his brother, Saint Methodius, he compiled the Slavic alphabet and translated into Slavic the books without which Divine services could not be performed: the Gospel, the Apostle, the Psalter and selected services. After completing the translation, the holy brothers went to Moravia, where they were received with great honor, and began to teach worship in the Slavic language. The German bishops who were in the Moravian kingdom, out of envy of the successes of Saints Cyril and Methodius, turned to Rome.

The holy brothers were called to Rome to resolve this issue. Taking with them the relics of Saint Clement, Pope of Rome, Saints Constantine and Methodius went to Rome. Having learned that the holy brothers were carrying holy relics with them, Pope Adrian and the clergy went out to meet them. The holy brothers were greeted with honor, the Pope approved the service in the Slavic language.

While in Rome, Saint Constantine fell ill and soon took the schema with the name Cyril. 50 days after the adoption of the schema, February 14, 869, Equal-to-the-Apostles Cyril died at the age of 42. The Pope ordered the relics of St. Cyril to be placed in the Church of St. Clement, where miracles began to be performed from them. After the death of Saint Cyril, the pope, following the request of the Slavic prince Kocel, sent Saint Methodius to Pannonia, ordaining him archbishop of Moravia and Pannonia.

In Pannonia, Saint Methodius, together with his disciples, continued to spread worship, writing and books in the Slavic language.

Twice disputes arose between Saint Methodius and the German bishops, leading to the imprisonment of the former. Once again Saint Methodius was summoned to Rome, but he justified himself before the pope and was again returned to the capital of Moravia - Velehrad.

The saint predicted the day of his death and died on April 6, 885 at the age of about 60 years. The saint was buried in the cathedral church of Velegrad.

Troparion

As the apostle of unanimity and the Slovenian countries, the teacher, Cyril and Methodius of God-wisdom, pray to the Lord of all, to establish all Slovenian languages ​​in Orthodoxy and unanimity, to pacify the world and save our souls.

Project " Orthodox holidays"implemented by UNIAN-Religions with the assistance of the Kyiv Theological Academy and Seminary. When using the material, reference to the source is required.

The Day of Slavic Literature and Culture is celebrated in memory of two enlighteners - Cyril and Methodius. The brothers made a huge contribution to the development of Slavic society and its culture. The writing they created in the 9th century made it possible to capture best pages Russian history, biographies of great people. Replicated knowledge accumulated over many centuries Slavic people, contributed to the spread of literacy. Socialization in world civilization allowed it to take its corresponding place among other nations.

When is it celebrated?

The Day of Slavic Literature and Culture is celebrated annually on May 24, and 2019 is no exception. On January 30, 1991, by Resolution of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Russian Federation No. 568-1, it received the status public holiday Russia.

Who's celebrating

The date is celebrated by linguists, representatives of the progressive public and religious organizations, Slavic scholars, and cultural workers.

history of the holiday

In Russia, the holiday of writing was first officially celebrated in 1863, when a resolution was adopted to honor the memory of Saints Cyril and Methodius on May 24. Official status received in 1991. Today is the Day of Slavic Literature and Culture - the only holiday in the Russian Federation that combines secular and religious events.

Brothers Cyril and Methodius were born into a noble family of a Byzantine military leader. Both were literate and educated people of its time. The elder brother Methodius devoted himself to military affairs at the beginning of his life, but his humanitarian inclinations and thirst for knowledge led him to the monastery. The youngest of the brothers, Kirill, was distinguished by philological inclinations from childhood. He determined for himself the path of enlightenment and purposefully walked towards it. Having received the priesthood, he conducted library activities at the Hagia Sophia and taught philosophical sciences.

The brothers' merit lies in the fact that they created the Slavic alphabet and developed a methodology for Slavic phrases. They translated several holy books, which contributed to the conduct and dissemination of worship in a language understandable to the Slavs.

Cyril and Methodius had deep knowledge in Greek and Eastern cultures. Summarizing their experience in the field of writing, the brothers created the first Slavic alphabet. It became a great impetus for the development of culture and education in the Slavic states. Writing made it possible to develop Russian bookmaking and literature.

The significance of the contribution of the enlightenment brothers to the dissemination of writing, and with it religious knowledge, was highly appreciated by church ministers. The brothers received the status of saints after their death and their own holiday.