Cyril and Methodius - saints, Equal to the Apostles, Slavic educators, creators of the Slavic alphabet, preachers of Christianity, the first translators of liturgical books from Greek into Slavic. Cyril was born around 827, died on February 14, 869. Before taking monasticism at the beginning of 869, he was named Constantine. His elder brother Methodius was born around 820, died on April 6, 885. Both brothers were from the city of Thessaloniki (Thessaloniki), their father was a military leader. In 863, Cyril and Methodius were sent by the Byzantine emperor to Moravia in order to preach Christianity in the Slavic language and to help the Moravian prince Rostislav in the struggle against the German princes. Before leaving, Cyril created the Slavic alphabet and, with the help of Methodius, translated several liturgical books from Greek into Slavic: selected readings from the Gospel, Apostolic Epistles. The Psalter, etc. In science there is no consensus on the question of what alphabet Cyril created - the Verb or Cyrillic alphabet, but the first assumption is more likely. In 866 or 867, at the call of Pope Nicholas I, Cyril and Methodius went to Rome, on the way they visited the Blatensky principality in Pannonia, where they also disseminated the Slavic letter and introduced divine services in the Slavic language. After arriving in Rome, Cyril fell seriously ill and died. Methodius was ordained Archbishop of Moravia and Pannonia, and in 870 he returned from Rome to Pannonia. In the middle of 884 Methodius returned to Moravia and was engaged in the translation of the Bible into the Slavic language. By their activities, Cyril and Methodius laid the foundation for Slavic writing and literature. This activity was continued in the South Slavic countries by their disciples, who were expelled from Moravia in 886 and moved to Bulgaria.
KYRILL AND METHODIUS - THE EDUCATORS OF THE SLAVIC PEOPLES
In 863, ambassadors from Great Moravia from Prince Rostislav arrived in Byzantium to Emperor Michael III with a request to send them a bishop and a person who could explain the Christian faith in the Slavic language. The Moravian prince Rostislav strove for the independence of the Slavic Church and had already turned to Rome with a similar request, but was refused. Michael III and Photius, just as in Rome, treated Rostislav's request formally and, having sent missionaries to Moravia, did not ordain any of them to the episcopate. Thus, Constantine, Methodius and their entourage could only conduct educational activities, but did not have the right to ordain their disciples themselves to priestly and deacon dignities. This mission could not be crowned with success and be of great importance if Constantine had not brought the Moravans a perfectly developed and convenient alphabet for the transmission of Slavic speech, as well as the translation into the Slavic language of the main liturgical books. Undoubtedly, the language of the translations brought by the brothers was phonetically and morphologically different from the living spoken language spoken by the Moravans, but the language of liturgical books was initially perceived as a written, bookish, sacred language. It was much clearer than Latin, and a certain dissimilarity to the language used in everyday life gave it greatness.
Constantine and Methodius read the Gospel in Slavic at the services, and the people were drawn to the brothers and to Christianity. Constantine and Methodius diligently taught the students the Slavic alphabet, divine services, and continued their translation activities. Churches where services were conducted in Latin were emptied, the Roman Catholic priesthood was losing influence and income in Moravia. Since Constantine was a simple priest, and Methodius was a monk, they had no right to put their disciples in church positions themselves. To solve the problem, the brothers had to go to Byzantium or Rome.
In Rome, Constantine handed over the relics of St. Clement to the newly ordained Pope Adrian II, so he received Constantine and Methodius very solemnly, with honor, took under his guardianship the service in the Slavic language, ordered to put Slavic books in one of the Roman temples and perform divine services over them. The Pope ordained Methodius to the priesthood, and his disciples to the presbyters and deacons, and in his letter to princes Rostislav and Kotsel he legitimizes the Slavic translation of Holy Scripture and the administration of the service in the Slavic language.
The brothers spent almost two years in Rome. One of the reasons for this is the ever worsening health of Constantine. At the beginning of 869 he accepted the schema and a new monastic name Cyril, and on February 14 he died. By order of Pope Adrian II, Cyril was buried in Rome, in the church of St. Clement.
After the death of Cyril, Pope Adrian ordained Methodius to the rank of Archbishop of Moravia and Pannonia. Returning to Pannonia, Methodius launched a vigorous activity to disseminate Slavic worship and writing. However, after the removal of Rostislav, Methodius did not have strong political support. In 871, the German authorities arrested Methodius and arranged a trial over him, accusing the archbishop of invading the possessions of the Bavarian clergy. Methodius was imprisoned in a monastery in Swabia (Germany), where he spent two and a half years. Only thanks to the direct intervention of Pope John VIII, who replaced the deceased Adrian II, in 873 Methodius was released and restored in all rights, but the Slavic service became not the main, but only additional: the service was conducted in Latin, and sermons could be delivered in Slavic.
After the death of Methodius, opponents of Slavic worship in Moravia became more active, and the worship itself, which was based on the authority of Methodius, was first oppressed, and then completely dies out. Some of the students fled to the south, some were sold into slavery in Venice, some were killed. The closest disciples of Methodius Gorazd, Clement, Naum, Angellarius and Lawrence were imprisoned in iron and then expelled from the country. The works and translations of Constantine and Methodius were destroyed. This explains the fact that their works have not survived to this day, although there is a lot of information about their work. In 890, Pope Stephen VI anathematized Slavic books and Slavic worship, finally banning it.
The work started by Constantine and Methodius was nevertheless continued by his disciples. Clement, Naum and Angellarius settled in Bulgaria and became the founders of Bulgarian literature. The Orthodox Prince Boris-Mikhail, a friend of Methodius, supported his disciples. A new center of Slavic writing appears in Ohrid (the territory of modern Macedonia). However, Bulgaria is under the strong cultural influence of Byzantium, and one of Constantine's disciples (most likely Clement) creates a script similar to Greek. This happens at the end of the 9th - beginning of the 10th century, during the reign of Tsar Simeon. It is this system that receives the name of the Cyrillic alphabet in memory of the person who first attempted to create an alphabet suitable for recording Slavic speech.
THE QUESTION ABOUT THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE SLAVIC ABCs
The question of the independence of the Slavic alphabet is caused by the very nature of the outlines of the Cyrillic and Glagolitic letters, their sources. What were the Slavic alphabets - a new writing system or just a kind of Greco-Byzantine writing? When deciding this issue, the following factors must be taken into account:
In the history of writing, there has not been a single letter-sound system that would have arisen completely independently, without the influence of the previous writing systems. So, the Phoenician writing arose on the basis of the ancient Egyptian (however, the principle of writing was changed), the ancient Greek - on the basis of the Phoenician, Latin, Slavic - on the basis of Greek, French, German - on the basis of Latin, etc.
Consequently, we can only talk about the degree of independence of the writing system. In this case, it is much more important how accurately the modified and adapted original writing corresponds to the sound system of the language that it intends to serve. It was in this respect that the creators of Slavic writing showed great philological flair, a deep understanding of the phonetics of the Old Church Slavonic language, as well as great graphic taste.
THE ONLY STATE CHURCH HOLIDAY
PRESIDIUM OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL OF THE RSFSR
RESOLUTION
ABOUT THE DAY OF SLAVIC WRITING AND CULTURE
Attaching great importance to the cultural and historical revival of the peoples of Russia and taking into account the international practice of celebrating the day of the Slavic enlighteners Cyril and Methodius, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR decides:
Chairperson
Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR
In 863, 1150 years ago, the Equal-to-the-Apostles brothers Cyril and Methodius began their Moravian mission to create our writing system. It is said about her in the main Russian chronicle "The Tale of Bygone Years": "And the Slavs were glad that they heard about the greatness of God in their own language."
And the second anniversary. In 1863, 150 years ago, the Russian Holy Synod determined: in connection with the celebration of the millennium of the Moravian mission of the holy brothers equal to the apostles, to establish an annual celebration in honor of the Monks Methodius and Cyril on May 11 (24 according to the present).
In 1986, on the initiative of writers, especially the late Vitaly Maslov, at first the first Writing Festival was held in Murmansk, and the next year it was widely celebrated in Vologda. Finally, on January 30, 1991, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR adopted a resolution on the annual holding of the Days of Slavic Culture and Writing. Readers do not need to be reminded that May 24 is also the day of the namesake of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill.
Logically, it seems that the only state-church holiday in Russia has every reason to acquire not only a nationwide sound, as in Bulgaria, but also a general Slavic significance.
It is not natural for a person to appreciate what he has been using for a long time and habitually. Only with the advent of old age or premature ailments is the price of health recognized. The homeland is especially dearly loved for a person who lives far away. Air, bread, native people discover their true value only in case of loss, or at least the threat of loss. We, who can read and write from childhood, find it difficult to understand the magnitude of this gift. Therefore, we will connect the will and strain the imagination - we will pretend we are illiterate.
Our princes cannot communicate their will to distant cities, cannot send them a decree or a letter. Therefore, our people are so small that the voice of the leader is heard both by those who stand close by and the most distant. The neighboring peoples are completely alien to us. We do not know their history, we do not communicate with them. They are for us - "Germans", i.e. dumb, because we do not understand their language. Our knowledge of the world around us, our memory of our history is so small that it is retained by the collective memory. Everything that exceeds its volume is, of necessity, forgotten, not perpetuated and carried away by the river of time. We have no poetry, except for folk, and no science, except for Vedic and priestly knowledge. We, of course, do not write any love letters or IOUs. Unique and distinctive in its denseness, we do not need anyone and are not interesting to anyone.
Only if a strong and numerous enemy, an enemy at a higher stage of development, takes an interest in our vastness and wealth, we risk emerging from the historical shadow. But then we risk becoming an object of military expansion and foreign cultural mission. We run the risk of dissolving into a brook in a foreign and aggressive sea.
Oftentimes, the alphabet comes with faith and a new way of life. All nations to whom on the edge of the sword was brought Islam, began to write in Arabic script. Where the foot stepped Catholic missionary, people eventually began to write in Latin letters. But it was different with us. In the spirit of evangelical love, the Greek Church strove to preach the gospel, but did not strive at all costs to convert the newly converted peoples into Greeks. For the sake of us, the Slavs, and for our salvation, the Church accomplished an intellectual feat and compiled a new alphabet for us. If we knew the name of the one who first tamed the horse or invented the potter's wheel, then the name of this person would be worthy of greater glory than the names of mythical heroes. How much greater glory are the creators of the Slavic alphabet - brothers Cyril and Methodius - worthy of?
Any alphabet is like periodic table... This is not a set of symbolic signs, but a harmonious unity reflecting the world outlook of the people, their deepest thoughts about this world and the future. Through the image of the alphabet, Scripture reveals to us the idea of the infinite perfection of the Creator, of God as the fullness of being. I am Alpha and Omega, beginning and end, first and last (Rev. 22:13).
Life Cyril and Methodius has been described in detail and over and over again. Let's say a few words about their creation - oh Slavic alphabet.
At first there were two of them - Cyrillic and glagolitic... Moreover, scientists believe that the Glagolitic alphabet was earlier. It did not take root and is known today only to philologists. But the Cyrillic alphabet has taken root and has grown into such a branched tree that life will not be enough to list its leaves. "War and Peace" and "The Brothers Karamazov" blossomed on the Cyrillic branches. Are they the only ones?
The alphabet is named after the younger brother - Cyril (before monasticism - Konstantin). Even in his early youth, he earned the nickname Philosopher for a sharp mind and extensive knowledge. Not being saturated with the usual teaching, he early began to memorize the works of Gregory the Theologian and pray to him. Pure and high soaring spirit "Singer of the Holy Trinity" reported to Constantine. Only thanks to the theological giftedness and the depth of prayer was Constantine able to accomplish the work entrusted by God.
So in any sacred work, first of all it was necessary to humble ourselves and belittle. It was necessary to love and learn the Slavic language, literally dissolve in it, not forgetting at the same time his native Greek. For the transmission of Slavic speech in writing the language of the Hellenes was taken as a basis... But in it 24 letters, and many Slavic sounds are absent in it. No sound "B", there is no corresponding letter, without which you cannot write the most important word "God". No hissing, no sound "H"... In a word, what was needed was not a tracing paper, not a copy, but creativity and the creation of a new one, which had not previously been. Some letters were taken from Jewish... So, "Shin" and "Tsade" turned into "NS" and "C", keeping the style almost unchanged.
As a result of labors impossible without help from above, the alphabet appeared, consisting of 38 letters... Since then, a lot has changed in the phonetics of the Slavic languages. Ceased to sound "Ep" and "Er". They did not leave the spelling, but they used to be pronounced, and now they have turned into solid and soft marks and modestly indicate the softness and hardness of the consonants. It began to sound differently "Yat"... Where Russian reads in the Old Church Slavonic text "Forest", "devil", "you", Ukrainian says "Lis", "bis", "tobi". Many other things have changed in the Slavic languages and dialects, but the structure of the Slavic alphabet has been preserved. The skeleton is solid, and the proverb is true: "If there were bones, the meat will grow."
It is interesting that the Slavic writing was first in demand where it is used today in Latin... Baptized in 830 year Great Moravian principality wished to have the Holy Scriptures in their native language. Prince Rostislav turned his gaze to Byzantium, which, unlike Rome, knew how to listen to those who received Baptism from her. Emperor Michael did not think long and sent to the Slavs Constantine (Cyril), with whom he was brought up together and whose talents he knew firsthand.
Not the fault of the inhabitants Moravia, Pannonia and other Slavic lands, that the Solun brothers' cause was suppressed by the aggressive mission of the German bishops. In history it often happens that what has been done by some is understood and used in its entirety by others. So it was with our alphabet. On the territory of modern Czech Republic for the first time the Easter conception recorded in Slavic letters sounded: From time immemorial, the word has been (John 1: 1). Since then, this intelligent, written word has spread further than the creators of the alphabet dreamed of.
Praise to Cyril and Methodius is not only an annual prayer memory or the singing of an akathist. This is, firstly, the desire to realize in life the great ideal of the Slavic Orthodox brotherhood, the brotherhood of those who read the Gospel, written in Cyrillic.
This, of course, is a thoughtful and loving attitude towards the Slavic alphabet. We today, who know so much, we, whose speech is densely covered with vocabulary borrowed from a variety of cultures, need the Church Slavonic language like a cool downpour in the middle of a sultry summer. In this language, every letter has a name. If you pronounce them one after the other, then often three adjacent letters form a sentence. Where in the Russian alphabet we mechanically pronounce: "Ka", "el", "uh", - in Slavic we say: "Kako", "people", "mind". That is, we ask ourselves the question: "People, what (what) do you think about?"
Where in Russian are habitually listed: "Er", "es", "te",- Slavic commands: "Rtsy", "word", "firmly". That is: let your word be firm. And how many more such theological and philological discoveries await a book lover interested in the Slavic alphabet? It is not just about absorbing information that is indifferent to faith and morality. This is always a good edification.
This language should be learned not only in Sunday schools and in the course of Slavic philology. It is worth getting to know him in a regular school in history lessons, or your native language, or the basics of Orthodox culture.
Every time we lovingly stop our eyes on the pages numbered with letters, not numbers; on pages with Greek "Izhitsa" or florid "Xi" and "psi", we will travel back in time. This will be a journey to those distant times when the Solunsk brothers forged a golden key for the Slavs to open the door of the spiritual treasury for them. I think that the journey will be gratitude at the same time.
The brothers Cyril and Methodius, whose biography is at least briefly known to everyone who speaks Russian, were great enlighteners. They developed an alphabet for many Slavic peoples, which made their name immortal.
Greek origin
The two brothers were from the city of Thessaloniki. The old traditional name Solun has been preserved in Slavic sources. They were born into the family of a successful officer who served under the governor of the province. Cyril was born in 827, and Methodius in 815.
Due to the fact that these Greeks knew very well, some researchers tried to confirm the guess about their Slavic origin. However, no one succeeded in doing this. At the same time, for example, in Bulgaria, educators are considered Bulgarians (they also use the Cyrillic alphabet).
Connoisseurs of the Slavic language
The linguistic knowledge of the noble Greeks can be explained by the history of Soluni. In their era, this city was bilingual. There was a local dialect of the Slavic language. The migration of this tribe has reached its southern border, buried in the Aegean Sea.
At first, the Slavs were pagans and lived under a tribal system, just like their Germanic neighbors. However, those outsiders who settled on the borders of the Byzantine Empire fell into the orbit of its cultural influence. Many of them formed colonies in the Balkans, becoming mercenaries of the Constantinople ruler. Their presence was also strong in Solunia, where Cyril and Methodius were from. At first, the brothers' biography took different paths.
The brothers' worldly career
Methodius (in the world he was called Michael) became a military man and rose to the rank of strategist of one of the provinces in Macedonia. He succeeded thanks to his talents and abilities, as well as the patronage of the influential courtier Theoktist. Cyril from an early age engaged in science, and also studied the culture of neighboring peoples. Even before he went to Moravia, thanks to which he became world famous, Constantine (name before taking monastic vows) began to translate the chapters of the Gospel into
In addition to linguistics, Kirill studied geometry, dialectics, arithmetic, astronomy, rhetoric and philosophy from the best specialists in Constantinople. Due to his noble origin, he could count on an aristocratic marriage and civil service in the highest echelons of power. However, the young man did not wish such a fate and became the keeper of the library in the main temple of the country - the Hagia Sophia. But even there he did not stay long, and soon began to teach at the capital's university. Thanks to his brilliant victories in philosophical disputes, he received the nickname Philosopher, which is sometimes found in historiographic sources.
Cyril was familiar with the emperor and even went with his instructions to the Muslim caliph. In 856, he and a group of disciples arrived at the monastery on Lesser Olympus, where his brother was the abbot. It was there that Cyril and Methodius, whose biography was now associated with the church, decided to create an alphabet for the Slavs.
Translation of Christian books into Slavic
In 862, ambassadors from the Moravian prince Rostislav arrived in Constantinople. They conveyed a message to the emperor from their ruler. Rostislav asked the Greeks to give him learned people who could teach the Slavs the Christian faith in their own language. The baptism of this tribe took place even before that, but each service was held in a foreign dialect, which was extremely inconvenient. The patriarch and the emperor discussed this request among themselves and decided to ask the Solun brothers to go to Moravia.
Cyril, Methodius and their students set to work. The first language into which the main Christian books were translated was Bulgarian. The biography of Cyril and Methodius, a brief summary of which is in every Slavic history textbook, is known for the colossal work of the brothers on the Psalter, the Apostle and the Gospel.
Travel to Moravia
The preachers went to Moravia, where they led a service for three years and taught people to read and write. Their efforts also helped to realize the baptism of the Bulgarians, which took place in 864. They also visited Transcarpathian Rus and Pannonia, where they also glorified the Christian faith in Slavic languages. The brothers Cyril and Methodius, whose short biography includes many travels, found an attentively listening audience everywhere.
Back in Moravia, they had a conflict with German priests who were there with a similar missionary mission. The key difference between the two was the reluctance of Catholics to conduct divine services in the Slavic language. This position was supported by the Roman Church. This organization believed that praising God can only be in three languages: Latin, Greek, and Hebrew. This tradition has existed for many centuries.
The great schism between Catholics and Orthodox had not yet happened, so the Pope still had influence over the Greek priests. He summoned the brothers to Italy. They also wanted to come to Rome to defend their position and make the Germans in Moravia prudent.
Brothers in Rome
The brothers Cyril and Methodius, whose biography is also revered by Catholics, arrived to Adrian II in 868. He came to a compromise with the Greeks and gave his consent so that the Slavs could conduct divine services in their native languages. The Moravians (ancestors of the Czechs) were baptized by bishops from Rome, therefore they were formally under the jurisdiction of the Pope.
While still in Italy, Constantine fell seriously ill. When he realized that he would soon die, the Greek accepted the schema and received the monastic name Cyril, with which he became known in historiography and national memory. While on his deathbed, he asked his brother not to give up the general educational work, but to continue his service among the Slavs.
Continuation of Methodius's preaching activity
Cyril and Methodius, whose brief biography is inseparable, became revered in Moravia during their lifetime. When the younger brother returned there, it became much easier for him to continue doing his duty than 8 years ago. However, the situation in the country soon changed. The former prince Rostislav was defeated by Svyatopolk. The new ruler was guided by German patrons. This led to a change in the composition of the priests. The Germans again began lobbying for the idea of preaching in Latin. They even imprisoned Methodius in a monastery. When Pope John VIII found out about this, he forbade the Germans to conduct liturgies until they released the preacher.
Cyril and Methodius have never faced such resistance. Biography, creation and everything related to their life is full of dramatic events. In 874, Methodius was finally released and became archbishop again. However, Rome has already withdrawn its permission to worship in the Moravian language. However, the preacher refused to obey the volatile course of the Catholic Church. He began to conduct secret sermons and ceremonies in the Slavic language.
Methodius' last troubles
His tenacity was not in vain. When the Germans again tried to denigrate him in the eyes of the church, Methodius went to Rome and, thanks to his abilities as an orator, was able to defend his point of view before the Pope. He was given a special bull, which again allowed worship in the national languages.
The Slavs appreciated the uncompromising struggle waged by Cyril and Methodius, whose brief biography was reflected even in ancient folklore. Shortly before his death, the younger brother returned to Byzantium and spent several years in Constantinople. His last great work was the translation into the Slavic language of the Old Testament, with which his faithful disciples helped him. He died in 885 in Moravia.
The significance of the brothers' activities
The alphabet created by the brothers eventually spread to Serbia, Croatia, Bulgaria and Russia. Today the Cyrillic alphabet is used by all Eastern Slavs. These are Russians, Ukrainians and Belarusians. The biography of Cyril and Methodius for children is taught as part of the school curriculum of these countries.
It is interesting that the original alphabet, created by the brothers, eventually became Glagolitic in historiography. Another version of it, known as the Cyrillic alphabet, appeared a little later thanks to the works of the students of these enlighteners. This scientific controversy remains relevant. The problem is that no ancient sources have come down to us that could surely confirm a specific point of view. Theories are based only on secondary documents that appeared later.
However, the brothers' contribution is difficult to overestimate. Cyril and Methodius, whose brief biography should be known to every Slav, helped not only to spread Christianity, but also to strengthen it among these peoples. In addition, even if we assume that the Cyrillic alphabet was created by the brothers' students, they still relied on their work. This is especially evident in the case of phonetics. Modern Cyrillic alphabets have adopted the sound component from those written symbols that were proposed by preachers.
Both the Western and the Eastern Churches recognize the importance of the activities carried out by Cyril and Methodius. A short biography for children of educators is in many general educational history and Russian textbooks.
Since 1991, our country has celebrated an annual public holiday dedicated to the brothers from Thessaloniki. It is called the Day of Slavic Culture and Writing and is also in Belarus. An order named after them was established in Bulgaria. Cyril and Methodius, interesting facts from whose biographies are published in various monographs, continue to attract the attention of new researchers of languages and history.
In 862, in the state of the Western Slavs, Great Moravia, religious sermons were spread in Latin. For the people, this language was incomprehensible. Therefore, the prince of the state Rostislav turned to Michael, the emperor of Byzantium. He asked to send preachers to his state who would spread Christianity in the Slavic language. And Emperor Michael sent two Greeks - Constantine the Philosopher, who later received the name Cyril, and Methodius, his older brother.
Cyril and Methodius were born and raised in the city of Thessalonia in Byzantium. The family had seven children, Methodius was the oldest, and Constantine (Cyril) was the youngest. Their father was a military leader. Since childhood, they knew one of the Slavic languages, since the Slavic population lived in the vicinity of the city, quite large in number. Methodius was in military service, after service he ruled the Byzantine principality, which was inhabited by the Slavs. And soon, after 10 years of reign, he went to a monastery and became a monk. Cyril, since he showed a great interest in linguistics, studied sciences at the court of the Byzantine emperor from the best scientists of that time. He knew several languages - Arabic, Hebrew, Latin, Slavic, Greek, and also taught philosophy - hence he got his nickname Philosopher. And the name Cyril was received by Constantine when he accepted monasticism in 869 after his serious and prolonged illness.
Already in 860, the brothers twice traveled with a missionary goal to the Khazars, then Emperor Michael III sent Cyril and Methodius to Great Moravia. And the Moravian prince Rostislav called on the brothers for help, as he sought to limit the growing influence of the German clergy. He wanted Christianity to be preached in the Slavic language, not in Latin.
The Holy Scriptures had to be translated from Greek in order for Christianity to be preached in the Slavic language. But there was one catch - there was no alphabet that could convey Slavic speech. And then the brothers set about creating the alphabet. Methodius made a special contribution - he knew the Slavic language perfectly. And thus, in 863, the Slavic alphabet appeared. And Methodius soon translated many liturgical books, including the Gospel, the Psalter and the Apostle, into the Slavic language. The Slavs had their own alphabet and language, now they could write and read freely. So Cyril and Methodius, the creators of the Slavic alphabet, made a huge contribution to the culture of the Slavic people, because to this day many words from the Slavic language live in Ukrainian, Russian and Bulgarian. Constantine (Cyril) created the Glagolitic alphabet, which reflected the phonetic features of the language. But until now, scientists cannot agree on whether the Glagolitic or Cyrillic alphabet was created by Methodius.
But among the Western Slavs - Poles and Czechs - the Slavic alphabet and literacy did not take root, and they still use the Latin alphabet. After the death of Cyril, Methodius continued their activities. And when he died, their disciples were expelled from Moravia in 886 and the Slavic writing was banned there, but they continued to spread the Slavic literacy in the countries of the eastern and southern Slavs. Bulgaria and Croatia became their refuge.
These events took place in the 9th century, and in Russia writing appeared only in the 10th century. And there is an opinion that in Bulgaria the Cyrillic alphabet was created on the basis of the “Glagolitic alphabet”, in honor of Cyril.
In Russian Orthodoxy, Cyril and Methodius are called Saints. February 14 - Day of Remembrance of Cyril, and April 6 - Methodius. The dates were not chosen by chance, Saints Cyril and Methodius died on these days.
The holy Slovenian teachers strove for solitude and prayer, but in life they constantly found themselves at the forefront - both when they defended Christian truths before Muslims, and when they took upon themselves a great educational work. Their success sometimes looked like a defeat, but as a result, it is to them that we owe the acquisition of "the gift of the most valuable and greatest of all silver, and gold, and precious stones, and all transitory wealth." This gift is.
Brothers of Thessalonica
The Russian language was baptized back in the days when our ancestors did not consider themselves Christians - in the ninth century. In the west of Europe, the heirs of Charlemagne divided the Frankish empire, in the East Muslim states were strengthened, crowding out Byzantium, and in the young Slavic principalities the Equal-to-the-Apostles Cyril and Methodius, the true founders of our culture, preached and worked.
The history of the activities of the holy brothers has been studied with every possible thoroughness: the surviving written sources have been repeatedly commented on, and pundits argue about the details of biographies and acceptable interpretations of the information that has come down. And how could it be otherwise when it comes to the creators of the Slavic alphabet? And yet, to this day, the images of Cyril and Methodius are lost behind the abundance of ideological constructions and just fictions. The Khazar dictionary of Milorad Pavich, in which the enlighteners of the Slavs are embedded in a multifaceted theosophical mystification, is not the worst option.
Cyril - the youngest both in age and in hierarchical ranks - until the end of his life was just a layman and took monastic tonsure with the name Cyril only on his deathbed. While Methodius, the elder brother, held large positions, was the ruler of a separate area of the Byzantine Empire, the abbot of the monastery and ended his life as an archbishop. And yet, traditionally, Cyril takes the honorable first place, and the alphabet is named after him - the Cyrillic alphabet. All his life he bore a different name - Constantine, and also a respectful nickname - Philosopher.
Constantine was an extremely gifted person. "The speed of his abilities was not inferior to diligence" - the life, compiled shortly after his death, repeatedly emphasizes the depth and breadth of his knowledge. Translating into the language of modern realities, Constantine the Philosopher was a very young and promising professor at the University of Constantinople in the capital. At the age of 24 (!), He received the first important state task - to defend the truth of Christianity in the face of other Muslims.
Missionary politician
This medieval inseparability of spiritual, religious tasks and state affairs looks bizarre these days. But for her, you can find some analogy in the modern world order. And today the superpowers, the newest empires, base their influence not only on military and economic strength. There is always an ideological component, an ideology "exported" to other countries. For the Soviet Union, this was communism. For the United States, liberal democracy. Someone accepts the exported ideas peacefully, somewhere they have to resort to bombing.
For Byzantium, the doctrine was Christianity. Strengthening and spreading Orthodoxy was perceived by the imperial power as a primary state task. Therefore, as a modern researcher of the Cyril and Methodius heritage of A.-E. Tachiaos, "a diplomat who entered into negotiations with enemies or 'barbarians', was always accompanied by a missionary." Constantine was such a missionary. That is why it is so difficult to separate his educational activity from his political one. Just before his death, he symbolically resigned from his civil service, taking monasticism.
“I am no longer a servant of either the king or anyone else on earth; only to God Almighty I was and will be forever ", - will write now Cyril.
Life tells about his Arab and Khazar mission, tricky questions and witty and deep answers. Muslims asked him about the Trinity, how Christians can worship "many gods" and why instead of not resisting evil, they strengthen the army. Khazar Jews disputed the Incarnation and blamed Christians for non-observance of Old Testament precepts. Constantine's answers - bright, imaginative and short - if they did not convince all opponents, then, in any case, delivered a polemical victory, leading the audience to admiration.
"Nobody else"
The Khazar mission was preceded by events that greatly changed the internal structure of the Solun brothers. In the late 50s of the IX century, both Constantine - a successful scientist and polemicist - and Methodius - shortly before that appointed archon (head) of the province, retire from the world and lead a secluded ascetic lifestyle for several years. Methodius even takes monastic tonsure. From an early age the brothers were distinguished by piety, and the thought of monasticism was not alien to them; however, there were probably external reasons for such a sharp change: a change in the political situation or the personal sympathies of those in power. However, the Lives are silent about this.
But worldly vanity receded for a short while. Already in 860, the Khazar Kagan decided to arrange an "interreligious" dispute, in which Christians had to defend the truth of their faith before Jews and Muslims. According to the expression of the life, the Khazars were ready to accept Christianity if the Byzantine polemicists "gained the upper hand in disputes with the Jews and Saracens." They found Constantine again, and the emperor personally admonished him with the words: “Go, Philosopher, to these people and talk about the Holy Trinity with Her help. Nobody else can adequately take it upon himself. " On the journey, Konstantin took his elder brother as his assistant.
The negotiations ended generally successfully, although the Khazar state did not become Christian, the kagan allowed those who wanted to be baptized. There were also political successes. We should pay attention to an important incidental incident. On the way, the Byzantine delegation stopped in Crimea, where near modern Sevastopol (ancient Chersonesos) Constantine found the relics of the ancient Pope Clement of Rome. Subsequently, the brothers will transfer the relics of Saint Clement to Rome, which will further endear Pope Adrian. It is with Cyril and Methodius that a special veneration of Saint Clement among the Slavs begins - let us recall the majestic church in his honor in Moscow not far from the Tretyakov Gallery.
Sculpture of the holy apostles Cyril and Methodius in Bohemia. Photo: pragagid.ru
The birth of writing
862 year. We have reached a historic milestone. This year, the Moravian prince Rostislav sends a letter to the Byzantine emperor with a request to send preachers who can instruct his subjects in Christianity in the Slavic language. Great Moravia, which at that time included separate regions of modern Bohemia, Slovakia, Austria, Hungary, Romania and Poland, was already Christian. But she was enlightened by the German clergy, and all the divine services, holy books and theology were Latin, incomprehensible to the Slavs.
And again at court they remember Constantine the Philosopher. If not he, then who else will be able to complete the task, the complexity of which both the emperor and the patriarch - Saint Photius - were aware of?
The Slavs did not have a written language. But even the fact of the absence of letters was not the main problem. They did not have abstract concepts and richness of terminology, which usually develops in the "book culture".
High Christian theology, Scripture and liturgical texts had to be translated into a language that did not have any means for that.
And the Philosopher coped with the task. Of course, one should not imagine that he worked alone. Konstantin again called for his brother's help, and other employees were involved. It was a kind of scientific institute. The first alphabet, the verb, was composed on the basis of Greek cryptography. The letters correspond to the letters of the Greek alphabet, but they look different - so much so that the verb is often confused with the oriental languages. In addition, Hebrew letters were taken for sounds specific to the Slavic dialect (for example, "sh").
Then they translated the Gospel, verified expressions and terms, translated liturgical books. The volume of translations carried out by the holy brothers and their immediate disciples was very significant - by the time of the baptism of Rus, a whole library of Slavic books already existed.
The price of success
However, the activities of enlighteners could not be limited only to scientific and translation research. It was necessary to teach the Slavs new letters, a new book language, a new divine service. The transition to a new liturgical language was especially painful. It is not surprising that the clergy of Moravia, who had followed the German practice before, took the new trends with hostility. Even dogmatic arguments were put forward against the Slavic arrangement of services, the so-called trilingual heresy, as if one could speak with God only in “sacred” languages: Greek, Hebrew and Latin.
Dogmatics intertwined with politics, canon law with diplomacy and power ambitions - and Cyril and Methodius were in the center of this tangle. The territory of Moravia was under the jurisdiction of the pope, and although the Western Church had not yet been separated from the Eastern, the initiative of the Byzantine emperor and the Patriarch of Constantinople (and this was precisely the status of the mission) was still looked upon with suspicion. The German clergy, closely associated with the secular government of Bavaria, saw in the undertakings of the brothers the implementation of Slavic separatism. And indeed, the Slavic princes, in addition to spiritual interests, pursued the state ones - their liturgical language and church independence would significantly strengthen their position. Finally, the pope was in tense relations with Bavaria, and support for the revitalization of church life in Moravia against the "trilinguals" fit well into the general direction of his policy.
Political controversy cost the missionaries dear. Due to the constant intrigues of the German clergy, Constantine and Methodius twice had to justify themselves before the Roman high priest. In 869, unable to withstand the overvoltage, St. Cyril died (he was only 42 years old), and his work was continued by Methodius, who was ordained bishop in Rome shortly after. Methodius died in 885, having survived exile, insults and imprisonment that lasted for several years.
The most valuable gift
Gorazd became the successor of Methodius, and already during his reign the work of the holy brothers in Moravia practically died out: liturgical translations were prohibited, followers were killed or sold into slavery; many fled to neighboring countries themselves. But that was not the end. This was only the beginning of Slavic culture, and hence Russian culture too. The center of Slavic literacy moved to Bulgaria, then to Russia. The books began to use the Cyrillic alphabet, named after the creator of the first alphabet. Writing has grown and strengthened. And today the proposals to abolish the Slavic letters and switch to Latin, which in the 1920s were actively promoted by the People's Commissar Lunacharsky, sound, thank God, unrealistic.
So next time, dotting the "e" or tormenting the Russification of the new version of Photoshop, think about what wealth we have.
Artist Jan Matejko
Very few peoples have been honored to have their own alphabet. This was understood already in the distant ninth century.
“God has created and now in our years - having announced the letters for your language - that which was not given to anyone after the first times, so that you too would be numbered among the great nations who glorify God in their own language ... Accept the gift, the most valuable and greater than anyone silver, and gold, and precious stones, and all transitory wealth, ”wrote Emperor Mikhail to Prince Rostislav.
And after that we are trying to separate Russian culture from Orthodox culture? Russian letters were invented by Orthodox monks for church books; at the very foundation of Slavic literacy lies not just influence and borrowing, but "transplantation", "transplantation" of Byzantine church literacy. The book language, cultural context, terminology of high thought were created right together with the library of books by the apostles of the Slavs, Saints Cyril and Methodius.