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Day of Equal-to-the-Apostles Cyril and Methodius. Holiday "Day of Slavic Writing and Culture"

Day Slavic writing and culture (Day of Saints Cyril and Methodius) - Russian name feast dedicated to the day of memory of the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles brothers Methodius and Cyril (IX).

Equal-to-the-Apostles Cyril and Methodius, Slovenian teachers

The holy Equal-to-the-Apostles primary teachers and Slavic enlighteners, the brothers Cyril and Methodius, came from a noble and pious family that lived in the Greek city of Thessalonica. Saint Methodius was the eldest of the seven brothers, Saint Constantine (Cyril is his monastic name) was the youngest. Saint Methodius was at first in a military rank and was a ruler in one of his subordinates. Byzantine Empire Slavic principalities, apparently Bulgarian, which gave him the opportunity to learn the Slavic language. After staying there for about 10 years, Saint Methodius then accepted monasticism in one of the monasteries on Mount Olympus. Saint Constantine from an early age was distinguished by great abilities and studied together with the infant emperor Michael from the best teachers of Constantinople, including Photius, the future Patriarch of Constantinople. St. Constantine perfectly comprehended all the sciences of his time and many languages, he especially diligently studied the works of St. Gregory the Theologian. For his mind and outstanding knowledge, St. Constantine received the title of Philosopher (wise). At the end of his teaching, Saint Constantine accepted the rank of priest and was appointed curator of the patriarchal library at the church of Saint Sophia, but soon left the capital and secretly retired to a monastery. Searched there and returned to Constantinople, he was assigned as a teacher of philosophy in the higher school of Constantinople. The wisdom and strength of faith of the still very young Constantine were so great that he managed to defeat the leader of the heretic iconoclasts Annius in the debate. After this victory, Constantine was sent by the emperor to debate about the Holy Trinity with the Saracens (Muslims) and also won. Returning, Saint Constantine withdrew to his brother Saint Methodius 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 for the gospel sermon. On the way, they stopped for some time in the city of Korsun, preparing for a sermon. There the holy brothers miraculously found the relics of Hieromartyr Clement, Pope of Rome (Comm. 25 November). In the same place in Korsun, Saint Constantine found a Gospel and a Psalter written in "Russian letters" and a man who spoke Russian, and began to learn from this man to read and speak his language. After that, the holy brothers went to the Khazars, where they won the debate with the Jews and Muslims, preaching the Gospel teaching. On the way home, the brothers again visited Korsun and, taking the relics of St. Clement there, returned to Constantinople. Saint Constantine remained in the capital, while Saint Methodius received hegumenship at the small monastery of Polychron, not far from Mount Olympus, where he had asceticised before.

Soon, ambassadors came to the emperor from the Moravian prince Rostislav, who was being oppressed by the German bishops, with a request to send teachers to Moravia who could preach in their native language for the Slavs. The emperor called Saint Constantine and said to him: "You must go there, for no one can do it better than you." Saint Constantine, with fasting and prayer, embarked on a new feat. With the help of his brother Saint Methodius and the disciples of Gorazd, Clement, Savva, Naum and Angelyar, he compiled Slavic alphabet and translated to Slavic books without which Divine services could not be performed: the Gospel, the Apostle, the Psalter and selected services. This was in 863.

After the completion of the translation, the holy brothers went to Moravia, where they were received with great honor, and began to teach Divine Liturgy in the Slavic language. This aroused the anger of the German bishops, who celebrated Divine Liturgy in Latin in the Moravian churches, and they rebelled against the holy brothers, arguing that Divine Liturgy could be celebrated only in one of three languages: Hebrew, Greek or Latin. Saint Constantine answered them: “You recognize only three languages worthy of glorifying God in them. But David cries out: Sing to the Lord, all the earth; praise the Lord, all nations; let every breath praise the Lord! And in the Holy Gospel it is said: Go and teach all languages. The German bishops were disgraced, but became even more embittered and filed a complaint with 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 set off for Rome. Having learned that the holy brothers were carrying holy relics with them, Pope Adrian went out with the clergy to meet them. The holy brothers were greeted with honor, the Pope of Rome approved divine services in the Slavic language, and ordered the books translated by the brothers to be placed in Roman churches and to celebrate the liturgy in the Slavic language.

While in Rome, Saint Constantine fell ill and, in a miraculous vision, informed by the Lord that his death was approaching, he took the schema with the name Cyril. 50 days after the adoption of the schema, on February 14, 869, Equal-to-the-Apostles Cyril died at the age of 42. Departing to God, Saint Cyril commanded his brother Saint Methodius to continue their common work - enlightenment Slavic peoples the light of true faith. Saint Methodius begged the Pope of Rome to allow the body of his brother to be taken away for burial on native land, but the pope ordered the relics of St. Cyril to be placed in the church of St. Clement, where miracles began to happen from them.

After the death of St. Cyril, the pope, following the request of the Slavic prince Kotsel, sent St. Methodius to Pannonia, ordaining him Archbishop of Moravia and Pannonia, to the ancient throne of the Holy Apostle Andronicus. . This again angered the German bishops. They achieved the arrest and trial of Saint Methodius, who was exiled to captivity in Swabia, where he endured many sufferings for two and a half years. Released by order of Pope John VIII and restored to the rights of an archbishop, Methodius continued to preach the gospel among the Slavs and baptized the Czech prince Borivoi and his wife Lyudmila (Comm. 16 September), as well as one of the Polish princes. For the third time, the German bishops persecuted the saint for not accepting the Roman teaching about the procession of the Holy Spirit from the Father and from the Son. Saint Methodius was summoned to Rome, but justified himself before the pope, keeping the Orthodox teaching pure, and was again returned to the capital of Moravia, Velehrad.

Here, in last years During his lifetime, Saint Methodius, with the help of two disciple-priests, translated into Slavonic the entire Old Testament, except for the Maccabean books, as well as the Nomocanon (Regulations of the Holy Fathers) and the patristic books (Paterik).

Anticipating the approach of death, Saint Methodius pointed to one of his disciples, Gorazd, as a worthy successor to himself. The saint predicted the day of his death and died on April 6, 885 at the age of about 60 years. The funeral service for the saint was performed in three languages - Slavic, Greek and Latin; he was buried in the cathedral church of Velegrad.

http://days.pravoslavie.ru/Life/life1038.htm

Slavic glorious day

The feat of Saints Cyril and Methodius - the creation in 863 of the Slavic alphabet - gave us not only writing, but also the opportunity to perform worship and read Holy Scripture in mother tongue. The very formation of Russian statehood coincided with the birth of the Slavic alphabet. Cyril and Methodius celebrations in Russia and Moscow in the second half of the 19th century can be partly compared with Pushkin's celebrations - they were the same understanding of the origins national identity and the Russian idea in the light of the feat of the Thessalonica brothers.

The first celebration in honor of Cyril and Methodius coincided with the celebration of the millennium of Russia in 1862, since the following year, 1863, the millennium of the Slavic alphabet was celebrated. Such a combination was very symbolic and testified to the unity of the Church, nation and language. It is quite natural that, in anticipation of the national holiday, they also remembered the “Slavic apostles”, since, according to M.N. Katkov, the language is the people. Their holiday was especially "promoted" by the Slavophiles. The eve of honoring the Solunsky brothers was marked by a kind of miracle - in 1855, the historian M.N. Pogodin presented a particle of the holy relics of Cyril, once presented to him in Prague, as a gift to the house church of Moscow University - the first Cyril and Methodius celebrations in Russia took place there.

The initiative was laid by the Church, and this first holiday was exclusively church. In the 17th century, in connection with the editing of Russian liturgical books according to Greek models, the most ancient service to the first teachers was not included in the official printed Monthly Book. Therefore, at the beginning of 1860, Bishop Anthony of Smolensk (Amfiteatrov) turned to the Chief Procurator of the Holy Synod with a request that the memory of Saints Cyril and Methodius, set by the Church on May 11, should be honored in a more appropriate way, especially considering their ancient honoring in Rus'. He proposed to draw up a new solemn service and time it in churches for the 1000th anniversary of Russia and the enlightenment of the Slavic peoples.

The service, compiled by Vladyka Anthony, was approved and included in the liturgical books on May 11 and sent to Russian churches.

“As an apostle of unity and the Slovenian countries, the teacher, Cyril and Methodius of God’s Wisdom, pray to the Lord of all, establish all the Slovenian languages in Orthodoxy and like-mindedness, pacify the world and save our souls.”

For the first time this service was performed in Russia on May 11, 1862. In Moscow, the first celebrations in honor of Cyril and Methodius took place in the house church of Moscow University - at the junction of faith and science, for the word, worship and enlightenment are interconnected. At the festive liturgy, the ancient canon of St. Cyril and Methodius, and at the end of it a prayer service was performed. Then, at the suggestion of the professorship, a collection was opened for the construction of the icon of Cyril and Methodius for the house university church.

The first celebrations were modest, but marked the beginning of the return of the memory of the Slavic apostles to modern society and the initiative for the revival of the Slavic idea under the auspices of Russia, and most importantly - the comprehension of national self-consciousness in the bosom of the Orthodox Church, which was a kind of opposition to militant liberalism and nihilism. I.S. Aksakov called this holiday "the key to the future spiritual reunification of all Slavs, and the link connecting disparate brothers."

Rumors about the celebration of May 11 in Moscow will spread throughout all Slavic countries with the joyful news of future liberation; because the spiritual revival of the Slavs is impossible without the participation of the multi-million Russian tribe in the common feat of Slavic self-consciousness. So let this holiday in the future spread from the Assumption Cathedral to a rural church in the most remote backwoods.

The clergy called in the future to turn the feast of Cyril and Methodius into a feast of public education, for the holy brothers were public teachers, and glorify them as patrons of public education. In the meantime, they decided that the best memory of them in modern times is the continuation of their work both in education and in the development of Slavic speech. In the same 1862, Alexander II ordered the establishment of Cyril and Methodius scholarships - four nominal scholarships for each Russian university. Sculptures of Cyril and Methodius were placed on the great monument "Millennium of Russia" in Novgorod.

In 1863, the 1000th anniversary of Slavic writing broke out, marked by a festive liturgy in the Kremlin's Assumption Cathedral. Shortly before that, the Holy Synod adopted a decree by which May 11 was again officially declared the day of the annual church celebration of the memory of the Thessalonica brothers "in memory of the millennium from the initial illumination of our native language by the Gospel and the faith of Christ."

Time itself disposed to such celebrations and moved Russia, and indeed the entire Slavic world, to rethink their own existence in the light of the mission of the Slavic apostles, for anniversaries moving at amazing speed. Already in 1869, the new millennium was celebrated: from the day of the death of St. Kirill. On the eve, a miracle happened: two years earlier, the abbot of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, Archimandrite Leonid, during a trip to Athos, discovered there the oldest icon image of Cyril and Methodius. An image was written from him, and brought to Russia.

Now the holiday was celebrated not only in temples, but took on the character of a civil celebration. On that day, February 14, festive divine services were performed in the Kremlin's Miracle Monastery and many Moscow churches, and then public ceremonies followed. An open meeting of the Slavic Charitable Committee was held at Moscow University, at which it was announced the establishment of the Kirillov Prize for young students "in order to encourage young people to study Slavism", which at that time was not particularly successful. And then the director of the Moscow Public and Rumyantsev museums, V.A. Dashkov, promised to arrange a church of Cyril and Methodius at the university museum in architectural style X century (at the time of the baptism of Rus') and with a chapel in the name of St. Prince Vladimir the Great.

The historical situation was truly amazing. On the one hand, there are great anniversaries marked by a surge of Orthodox, national and social thought, events in the Balkans on the eve of Russian-Turkish war disposed to reflect on the true mission of the Thessalonica brothers and their heritage. On the other hand, their memory could not outgrow the church and scientific level and remain a national theme. After the end of the anniversaries, euphoria subsided, memory subsided, all undertakings and plans fell into oblivion, and the Slavic mission, together with the legacy of Cyril and Methodius, still remained a lot for the church and narrowly scientific environment.

However, after the Russian-Turkish war, the liberation of Bulgaria and the assassination of Alexander the Liberator, when the third great anniversary April 6, 1885 - the 1000th anniversary of the death of Methodius, the holiday was given the character of a state and all-Slavic celebration, in which the mission of the Thessalonica brothers was interpreted as all-Slavic and exclusively in the bosom of Orthodoxy. The situation was partly dictated by the fact that the holiday was also held by the Catholic Church at the Velegrad celebrations, for the Catholic Slavs, where Cyril and Methodius preached before the schism. In Russia, many considered it blasphemy - to honor the memory of St. Methodius with a mass in Latin. In addition, in the Catholic environment there were also “dreams” about the unification of the Western and Eastern Slavs under their auspices, as opposed to the similar aspiration of Russia. Creation of the Slavic brothers of Thessalonica Orthodox worship- this is what they tried to emphasize at the celebrations in Russia. After all, before Cyril and Methodius, only ancient Greek, Latin and Hebrew were considered worthy languages for worship. (As explained, in these languages, on the orders of Pontius Pilate, an inscription was made on the Calvary cross of the Lord.)

Now the chief procurator of the Holy Synod K.P. He wrote to Alexander III:

I think that this celebration will not remain without important consequences and will confirm in popular consciousness(which is especially important in the suburbs) a sense of nationality and the concept of enlightenment associated with the Church.

Pobedonostsev asked the sovereign to honor the celebration with his presence precisely in order to give the holiday a proper official status - not only church, but also state, national, folk.

As a result, the festivities of 1885 became the apogee in the history of honoring the memory of the Slavic apostles. The preparation was thorough and wise. First of all, the lives of the holy brothers were printed in accessible Russian, which were distributed free of charge to the people, scientific and popular biographies, even the ancient church services of St. Cyril and Methodius. Secondly, the widest educational campaign was conducted. "Moskovskie Vedomosti" was noted for the wisest article by M.N. Katkov, in which he, speaking about the mission of the Slavic apostles and its significance for the world and Russia, called, among other things, to protect the language, cleanse it of the introduced "monstrous forms" and not to forget that The Slavic language is Russian, only in its most ancient state.

Hence, in order to translate Holy Scripture from Old Church Slavonic into Russian, the people need to preserve its “warehouse”, only replacing “incomprehensible with understandable”, and not translating “Our Father” as “Our Father” or instead of Lord - Master. That is, do not transmit "sacred objects in the form of everyday speech." (Katkov rarely loses his sense of modernity.) The merit of the Solun brothers is, in fact, the birth of the Russian people.

They raised the new people who came into the world to historical life, they created a new force in the world, which is destined to be appointed in the dispensation of Providence, which, in the event of a division of the Churches, is destined to stay in the East ... if Cyril and Methodius had not sanctified our primitive language, had not elevated our word to a liturgical organ, there would have been no place left and there would be no vessel for the Eastern Orthodox Church, there would be no one to fulfill the work of her destinies.

Celebrations in Russia were held with the participation of the imperial couple and with foreign delegations from the Slavic countries. On April 6, before the festive service in St. Isaac's Cathedral, the consecration of Archimandrite Mitrofan (Ban), who is being appointed Metropolitan of Montenegro, took place. Pobedonostsev asked the sovereign to grant him the episcopal vestments similar to those in which Russian bishops put on for the coronation.

And then a liturgy was held in the presence of the sovereign, the chief prosecutor of the Holy Synod, ministers and Slavic deputations, and the festive message of the Holy Synod was read.

By the grace of God, through them, the Gospel of Christ was sent down to us, through them we came to know the beauty of the Church and were led from darkness to light and from death to eternal life.

The next day, civil festivities took place. In the evening, a solemn meeting of the Slavic Charitable Society was held under the chairmanship of P.P. Durnovo. The same "Muscovite" ideas about unity were repeated Slavic tribe, "a firm start to which, a thousand years ago, was laid by Saints Cyril and Methodius." There were also unexpected fresh ideas. For example, V.I. Lamansky very much supported the idea of the Catholic Slavs about the restoration of an independent Moravian archbishopate (St. Methodius served as archbishop of Moravia and Pannonia) with Slavic dioceses and about the return of Latin Christianity to the apostolic traditions and customs of the ancient Roman Church. It was in this that he saw both the beginning of real reconciliation and the resolution of many Slavic strife.

Moscow celebrated in its own way, crowded with thousands of pilgrims who surrounded the Kremlin, Red Square and the surrounding environs. The liturgy in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior was officiated by Bishop Alexy of Tauride, where, by the way, several students from each school were present - that is, the idea of the patronage of Cyril and Methodius to public education began to come true little by little. From there, the procession went to the Kremlin. There, in the Assumption Cathedral, after the end of the liturgy, a grand procession began to the sound of all the Kremlin bells. The spectacle was majestic - hundreds of banners swayed, bells buzzed, golden vestments sparkled, a thousand-mouthed prayer was announced. The festive procession through the Spassky Gates went to Red Square, where the icon of Sts. Cyril and Methodius, went to the Nikolsky Gate and returned to the Kremlin through them.

Then the civic festivities began. A solemn meeting was held at Moscow University, which opened with the singing of "Today the grace of the Holy Spirit has gathered us." In the Katkov Lyceum of Tsarevich Nikolai, after the liturgy in the house church, V.V. Nazarevsky, an outstanding historian of Moscow, delivered a jubilee speech. In the Moscow Theological Seminary, hymns to the Slavic apostles were performed, to the music of P.I. Tchaikovsky and the priest V.F. Starorussky. Metropolitan Ioanniky proposed to honor the memory of the Slavic first teachers by establishing the "Brotherhood for Assistance to Parish Schools." The brotherhood of Cyril and Methodius was created and existed until 1917, and should not be confused with the Kostomarovo society of the same name. Everyone that day cared and folk holiday education - lectures were arranged for ordinary Muscovites in libraries and reading rooms.

And there was also a completely logical thought, indicated in the article by Katkov and in the speech of the Irkutsk cathedral archpriest Athanasius Vinogradov, consonant with him, about the Catholic and Orthodox celebration. Can they be considered united and equal? Catholic Slavs, “Czechs, Moravians, Slovenes and Croats justly celebrate because missionary activity brothers took place in their countries. However, the Western Slavs fell away from the Orthodox dogma of the holy brothers (who preached before the schism of the Churches), the rite of worship they introduced, and rejected the fruits of their educational activities. As a result, the service at the Velegrad celebrations is in Latin. In the words of Katkov, the Russian people "put their cause at the forefront of their entire building - both church and state." The Eastern Slavs preserved the doctrine and worship in their original form, and although the Slavic dialects have already significantly moved away from one another, but "the language of the Church still remains common to them" - this is the guarantee of spiritual unity Slavic world, "under the moral influence of the Russian people, as the eldest member of this family."

Thus, Pobedonostsev, according to the modern researcher A. Popovkin, took a kind of revenge for the Berlin Congress, at which the achievements of the Russian-Turkish war were diplomatically failed. Now Russia was at the head of the Slavic celebrations, claiming the "status of the imperial center of the Slavic civilization." The emperor was pleased.

And then everything went downhill again. Pre-revolutionary, politically strife-torn, semi-liberal, semi-revolutionary Russian society turned out to be incapable of deep comprehension Slavic mission, yes and historical events it was not favored. It turned out to be easier to hold and attend one-time celebrations than to join them spiritually. Anniversary "ideas" were fulfilled for a long time and with difficulty, or even not fulfilled. According to the historian V.F. Kozlov, at a place near the Senate Tower, where he almost appeared before Historical Museum, were going to build the Moscow Church of Cyril and Methodius, but in the end only the mausoleum was built. The Encyclopedia of Slavic Philology was published a quarter of a century after the Methodius celebrations, but only in the form of the first volume. Only the idea of the patronage of the holy brothers to public education was gaining strength. In 1887 house church in their name it was consecrated at the Agricultural School on Smolensky Boulevard (later - the Military Veterinary Academy), and in 1911 - in the church-school near the Danilovsky cemetery. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Synod ordered that on May 11 (24) a festive service be held in house churches at all educational institutions of the spiritual department with the release of students from classes.

The thread of history continues. In our time, the holiday of the creators of the Russian word has become a state holiday. In 1992, a wonderful monument to Cyril and Methodius was erected with an inextinguishable lamp on Slavyanskaya Square, happily renamed from Nogin Square. The monument as a symbol of the revival of Russia and as the same pledge of Slavic unity.

Let us recall the words from the Tale of Bygone Years: "Yes, if anyone blasphemes the Slovenian letter, let him be excommunicated from the church."

Elena Lebedeva

Celebrated: in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and others Slavic countries

Church name: Equal-to-the-Apostles Methodius and Cyril, teachers of Slovenian

Established:

Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Russian Federation No. 568-1 dated January 30, 1991
Decree of the President of Ukraine No. 1096/2004 dated 17.09.2004
In Belarus, it has been celebrated since 1986 as a state-church holiday

Meaning: in honor of Saints Cyril and Methodius

Traditions:

divine liturgies;
scientific and practical conferences;
religious processions;
Exhibitions;
cultural and leisure activities;
pilgrimages.

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 the best pages Russian history biographies of great people. The multiplied knowledge accumulated over many centuries by the Slavic people contributed to the spread of literacy. Socialization in the world civilization allowed him to take a corresponding place among other nations.

Who and when celebrates

The Day of Slavic Literature and Culture is celebrated annually on May 24th. On January 30, 1991, by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Russian Federation No. 568-1, he received the status of a state holiday in Russia.

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

history of the holiday

In Russia, the holiday of writing was first officially celebrated in 1863, when a decision was made 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.

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

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

Cyril and Methodius had deep knowledge of Greek and Eastern cultures. Summarizing their experience in the field of writing, the brothers created the first Slavic alphabet on the basis of Slavic scriptures. It became a great impetus for the development of culture and education in Slavic states Oh. Writing allowed the development of Russian book business and literature.

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

It all started with Cyril and Methodius...

Kirill(in the world Constantine, nicknamed the Philosopher, 827-869, Rome) and Methodius(in the world Michael; 815-885, Velegrad, Moravia), brothers from the city of Thessalonica (Thessaloniki), therefore also known as the "Thessalonica Brothers" - reformers of the Slavic alphabet and creators of the Church Slavonic language, preachers of Christianity.

Cyril and Methodius are canonized by the church and are revered as saints both in the East and in the West. In Slavic Orthodoxy, "Slovenian teachers" are revered as saints Equal-to-the-Apostles; the order adopted according to church customs is “Methodius and Cyril”, although “Cyril and Methodius” has long been established.

Glagolitic and Cyrillic

Konstantin was a very educated person for his time. It was he who first began translating books into Slavonic, without which Divine services could not be performed, incl. Gospel, Apostle and Psalter.

In 856, Constantine (Cyril), together with his disciples Clement, Naum and Angelarius, came to the monastery, where his brother Methodius was the abbot. In this monastery, around Constantine and Methodius, a group of like-minded people formed (Gorazd, Clement, Savva, Naum, Angelyar) and they had the idea of creating a Slavic alphabet.

Cyril and Methodius at first did a titanic job of isolating the sounds of the Slavic language, that is main part any work on the creation of a new script. Then, to record church texts in the Slavic language, they developed a special alphabet - Glagolitic.

The oldest surviving Glagolitic inscription with exact dating dates back to 893 and was made in the church of the Bulgarian Tsar Simeon in Preslav.

Cyrillic, in turn, was created on the basis of the Glagolitic alphabet and the Greek alphabet. On the basis of the Cyrillic alphabet, the alphabets of the Belarusian language, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Ruthenian language / dialect, Russian, Serbian, Ukrainian, Montenegrin languages were created.

Thanks to the activities of the brothers, the alphabet became widespread in the South Slavic lands, which led in 885 to the prohibition of its use in the church service by the pope, who was struggling with the results of the mission of Cyril and Methodius.

The widespread use of Slavic writing, its "golden age", dates back to the reign of Tsar Simeon the Great in Bulgaria (893-927). At the end of the 10th century, it became the language of the church in Kievan Rus.

The Old Church Slavonic language, being the language of the church in Rus', was influenced by Old Russian language. It was the Old Slavonic language of the Russian edition, as it included elements of living East Slavic speech.

history of the holiday

The history of the holiday has a whole millennium and goes back to the church tradition that existed in Bulgaria in the X-XI centuries.

The earliest data on the celebration of the day of the Equal-to-the-Apostles Saints Cyril and Methodius on May 11 (May 24, according to the new style) date back to the 12th century, although they were recognized as saints at the end of the 9th century. Separately, the memory of St. Cyril is celebrated on February 14, St. Methodius - on April 6, on the days of their death.

The common feast of Saints Cyril and Methodius in the era of the Bulgarian Revival turned into a feast of the alphabet created by them.

In the old days, all Slavic peoples celebrated the day of remembrance of the holy brothers, but then, under the influence of historical and political circumstances, they began to forget about it. But in early XIX century, along with the revival of the Slavic peoples, they remembered the creators of Slavic writing.

In 1863, a decision was made in Russia to celebrate the memory of Saints Cyril and Methodius on May 11 (May 24, according to the new style).

In 1863, the Russian Holy Governing Synod established the celebration of both saints annually on May 11 (according to the Julian calendar) "in memory of the millennium from the initial consecration of our native language by the Gospel and the faith of Christ"

By a decree of the Holy Synod in 1885, the memory of May 11 was classified as an average holiday with a vigil. In 1901, the Synod decided to perform annually in churches at all educational institutions of the spiritual department a solemn all-night vigil on the eve and a liturgy followed by a prayer service to Methodius and Cyril on the very day of May 11, with the release of students from classes. By May 11, the annual graduation act was also timed in church schools.

In mid-July 1869, in the century-old forest across the Tsemes River, Czech settlers who arrived in Novorossiysk founded the village of Mefodievka, which was named after St. Methodius.

The holiday in honor of Cyril and Methodius is a public holiday in Russia (since 1991), Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and the Republic of Macedonia. In Russia, Bulgaria and the Republic of Macedonia, the holiday is celebrated on May 24; in Russia and Bulgaria it bears the name Day Slavic culture and writing, in Macedonia - the Day of Saints Cyril and Methodius. In the Czech Republic and Slovakia, the holiday is celebrated on July 5th.

Day of Slavic Writing and Culture

The Day of Slavic Literature and Culture (Day of Saints Cyril and Methodius) is the Russian name for the holiday.

IN Soviet time the communists did not want to celebrate at all church holidays, but it was also impossible to pass by such a significant event, therefore, in 1986, when the 1100th anniversary of the death of Methodius was celebrated, May 24 was declared in the USSR "a holiday of Slavic culture and writing", and on January 30, 1991, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR adopted resolution on the annual holding of the "Days of Slavic culture and writing".

At the same time, it was established that every year a new city became the capital of the holiday. locality Russia (except for 1989 and 1990, when the capitals were respectively Kyiv and Minsk, then still part of the USSR).

At the end of the ninth century AD, the Slavs finally had their own alphabet. Michael the Third, emperor of Byzantium, gave the order to create an orderly script for the Old Church Slavonic language. The brothers Cyril and Methodius took up this business. Therefore, the alphabet began to be called Cyrillic. And in honor of this important event a special holiday was proposed for all Slavic states. Unfortunately, many people don't know anything about it. It is even sadder that people often do not understand its purpose, its meaning.

But before we talk about the holiday, let's turn to writing. Today, we do not even think about what we can write using the letters of a standardized and generally accepted alphabet. Moreover, our records will be understood in all corners of the country. Writing, which appeared more than a thousand years ago, undoubtedly became the engine of such areas of art as literature, theater, music and some others. In addition, it allowed people far from each other to transmit information. But what can I say: written sources are a huge help for historians, for ethnographers.

With the advent of writing, a person got the opportunity to record the necessary information, which means to receive and master new knowledge. And how rapidly culture began to develop! And the contribution of Cyril and Methodius to the whole life of people is difficult to overestimate. In general, we modern life it is very difficult to imagine how people used to live when they did not have a letter.

And now about the holiday itself. Every year on May 24, the "Day of Slavic Literature and Culture" is celebrated in Russian Federation. In other states, the population of which is from the Slavic community, there are also similar holidays. It's just that they have different names, as well as dates (although in Bulgaria, as in Russia, this is May 24). In general, it was originally invented in Bulgaria in the nineteenth century, and then took root in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and Moldova. In any case, regardless of the country, the holiday is dedicated to the great cause of the holy brothers, thanks to whom the Slavs had their own alphabet. It should also be noted that Slavic writing is a collective concept that includes writing in numerous Slavic languages (Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian and others).

How it all began?

The history of the holiday "Day of Slavic Writing and Culture" goes back to the distant tenth (according to some sources - the eleventh) century AD. In general, this day was then called the Day of Saints Cyril and Methodius, who became the authors of the alphabet. They gave people writing.

In Rus', the "Day of Slavic Culture and Writing", or rather the Day of Cyril and Methodius, was forgotten for some time, but it was remembered again in 1863. The proposed date was May 11 (now, according to the new style, it is May 24). But a little more than a hundred years later, a large-scale resumption of the celebration of the Day of Remembrance of these saints began. This was due to a round date - 1100 years have passed since the death of Methodius. In 1986, the Writing Festival was held for the first time in the city of Murmansk. Five years later, a special Decree was issued by the authorities in force at that time. It said that now every year a holiday called "The Day of Slavic Writing and Culture" will be held. Moreover, it was noted that the Russian Orthodox Church would take a direct part in it. And this is not surprising, because Cyril and Methodius are canonized as saints.

Then every year a city was chosen, which became the center of the holiday. The main cultural events took place there. This state of affairs persists to this day.

How is everything going today?

The Days of Slavic Culture and Literature are not held according to one standardized plan, they are always different, always interesting and lively. There is also a place in them for discussion of pressing problems, in which cultural figures, poets, writers and others take part.

When the "Day of Slavic Literature and Culture" is celebrated, scientific meetings and forums, festivals and exhibitions, as well as fairs and concerts are held in Russia. Such a cultural explosion awakens in the hearts of people true love to their people, their language, pride in them. Of course, they do not forget to remember the brothers who gave people writing. In itself, the "Day of Slavic Culture" is intended to unite and preserve that cultural heritage which we have inherited from our ancestors. And this is certainly very important. The holiday reminds all Slavic countries of the unity of their origin, of their ancestors.

But the meaning and significance of this day exists not only for each individual country, but also for each person individually. After all, we all speak and write in the Slavic language! Our ancestors, our parents, our teachers spoke and wrote in it! But language and writing are the basis, the basis for culture and art. That is why we must not only preserve our Slavic culture, but also educate it in our children. Agree that we have something to be proud of! After all, it is not for nothing that the works of Slavic writers and poets are famous for such penetration, such bewitching and incredibly beautiful speech turns! Reading their books is a pleasure. Therefore, let's love and respect our writing, our Slavic culture. She gave and continues to give us a lot!

The Day of Slavic Literature and Culture was widely celebrated in Russia.

Day of Slavic culture and writing- a holiday dedicated to the day of memory of Saints Equal-to-the-Apostles Cyril and Methodius, the Enlighteners of Slovenia, May 24. It is celebrated both in Russia and in some other Slavic countries. In Russia festive events pass within a few days.

Commemoration of Saints Equal-to-the-Apostles Cyril and Methodius

Saints Cyril and Methodius

The holy brothers Cyril and Methodius are Christian preachers and missionaries, enlighteners of the Slavic peoples. In 863, the Byzantine emperor sent brothers to Moravia to preach to the Slavs. The brothers compiled the first Slavonic alphabet and translated liturgical books into Slavonic. Thus, the foundations of Slavic writing and culture were laid.

The memory of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Cyril and Methodius was celebrated among the Slavic peoples in antiquity. Then the celebration was forgotten and restored in the Russian Church only in 1863, when a decision was made to remember the Slovenian enlighteners on May 11 (24) May.

modern celebration

In 1985, the Slavic world celebrated the 1100th anniversary of the death of St. equal to ap. Methodius. For the first time in the USSR, May 24 was declared the day of Slavic culture and writing.

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 Literature and Culture. Since 1991, state and public organizations began to hold the Days of Slavic Literature and Culture together with the Russian Orthodox Church.

During the celebration, various church events are held: services dedicated to Saints Cyril and Methodius in the Assumption Cathedral of the Kremlin and other churches in Russia, religious processions, children's pilgrimage missions to the monasteries of Russia, scientific and practical conferences, exhibitions, concerts.

Since 1991, as part of the celebration of the days of Slavic culture and writing, the annual spiritual and cultural expedition "Slavic Way" has been taking place in the cities of Russia.

This is interesting

In Bulgarian schools, on the eve of the day of Saints Cyril and Methodius, "days of letters" are held - quizzes and educational games.

In the Czech Republic, the day of memory of the brothers Cyril and Methodius and the holiday of Slavic writing are celebrated on July 5th.

Centers for celebrating the days of Slavic culture and writing

Until 2010, every year the center of the celebration was transferred to one of the Russian cities. In 1986 it was Murmansk, in 1987 - Vologda, in 1992 and 1993 - Moscow.