And Methodius went down in history as the creators of the Slavic alphabet. Thanks to their work, we can now read and express our thoughts in writing. These are quite famous historical figures. There is even a short biography of Cyril and Methodius for children.
The worldly life of future saints
Two brothers were born in the city of Thessaloniki. Their father is a soldier under the governor of the city. The years of life of Cyril and Methodius in a brief biography refer to XIV century ad.
The elder brother Methodius was born in 815, Cyril, born Constantine, was born in 827. Methodius, at the birth of Michael, was initially even appointed to the princely place. But the bustle of the world got tired young man. He refused this privilege and took monastic vows at the age of 37.
The younger brother Kirill consciously chose a spiritual path for himself from the very beginning. Thanks to his curiosity and phenomenal memory, he won the favor of those around him. Cyril was sent to Byzantium, where he studied with the emperor himself. Having thoroughly studied geometry, dialectics, arithmetic, astronomy, rhetoric and philosophy, he became interested in studying languages. His noble origin allowed him to enter into an advantageous marriage and obtain a high government position. But the young man decided to build his life differently. He got a job at the Hagia Sophia as a library curator, and later became a teacher at the university. He often took part in philosophical debates. For his excellent oratory and erudition, they began to call him the Philosopher. But worldly life is just part of the short biography of Cyril and Methodius, which quickly ended. A new story has begun.
The beginning of the spiritual path
Court life did not suit Cyril, and he went to his brother’s monastery. But he never found the spiritual silence and solitude that he so longed for. Kirill was a frequent participant in disputes concerning issues of faith. He knew the canons of Christianity very well and often defeated his opponents thanks to his intelligence and high knowledge.
Later, the Byzantine emperor expressed a desire to win over the Khazars to the side of Christianity. Jews and Muslims have already begun to spread their religion on their territory. Cyril and Methodius were sent to enlighten the Khazar minds with Christian sermons. Their biography tells of an interesting incident. On the way home, the brothers visited the city of Korsun. There they were able to obtain the relics of St. Clement, the former Pope. After returning home, Cyril stayed in the capital, and Methodius went to the Polychrome monastery, which was located near Mount Olympus, where he received the abbess.
Mission to Moravia
The biography of the brothers Cyril and Methodius is based on chronicle data. According to them, in 860, ambassadors from Prince Rostislav of Moravia approached the Byzantine emperor with a request to send preachers to praise Christianity. The emperor, without hesitation, entrusted an important task to Cyril and Methodius. Their biography tells of the difficulty of completing the assignment. It consisted in the fact that German bishops had already begun their activities in Moravia, aggressively opposed to the activities of anyone else.
Arriving in Moravia, Cyril discovered that almost no one knew the Holy Scriptures, since the service was performed in a language unknown to the people - Latin. Preachers from Germany were of the opinion that services could only be conducted in Latin, Greek and Hebrew, because it was in these languages that the inscriptions on the cross where Christ was crucified were written. The Eastern clergy accepted holding services in any language.
The main task of the future saints was to create their own alphabet. After writing their alphabet, they began to rewrite the scriptures into a language understandable to the people. But in order to conduct divine services, it was necessary not only to create your own letter, but also to teach the people to read and write.
The Moravian clergy were wary of such innovations, and later began to oppose them. An important factor was not only spiritual life, but also political life. Moravia was actually subject to the jurisdiction of the Pope, and the spread of a new script and language there was looked upon as an attempt to seize power by the Byzantine emperor at the hands of preachers. At that time, Catholicism and Orthodoxy were still a single faith under the patronage of the Pope.
The active work of Cyril and Methodius aroused the indignation of the German bishops. Since Cyril always won in religious disputes, German preachers wrote a complaint to Rome. To resolve this issue, Pope Nicholas I called on the brothers to come to him. Cyril and Methodius were forced to go on a long journey.
Creation of the alphabet
The full biography of Cyril and Methodius is filled with references to the origin of their greatest creation. Kirill knew the Slavic language well and therefore began to create an alphabet for the Slavs. His older brother actively helped him. The first alphabet was modeled after the Greek alphabet. The letters corresponded to the Greek ones, but had a different appearance, and Hebrew letters were taken for the characteristic Slavic sounds. This version of the alphabet was called the Glagolitic alphabet, from the word “verb” - to speak. Another version of the alphabet is called the Cyrillic alphabet.
The Glagolitic alphabet is a set of sticks and symbols that echo the Greek alphabet. Cyrillic is already an option, closer to modern alphabet. It is generally believed that it was created by the followers of saints. But debate about the truth of this statement is still ongoing.
It is difficult to accurately establish the date of formation of the alphabet, since the original source has not reached us; there are only secondary or rewritten letters.
Metamorphoses of the first alphabet
As soon as Cyril and Methodius completed their work on the creation of Slavic writing, they began to translate a number of books for worship. Many students and followers helped them in this. This is how the Slavic literary language appeared. Some words from it have survived to this day in the Bulgarian, Ukrainian and Russian languages. The early version became the basis of the alphabet of all Eastern Slavs, but the later version was not forgotten either. It is now used in church books.
Initially, Cyrillic letters were written separately from each other and were called ustav (statutory letter), which over time transformed into semi-ustav. When the original letters were modified, cursive writing replaced half-character. Since the 18th century, during the reign of Peter I, some letters were excluded from the Cyrillic alphabet and called the Russian civil alphabet.
Cyril and Methodius in Rome
After troubles with the German bishops, Cyril and Methodius were summoned to trial before the Pope. Going to the meeting, the brothers took with them the relics of St. Clement, previously brought from Korsun. But an unforeseen circumstance happened: Nicholas I died before the arrival of the future saints. They were met by his successor Adrian II. An entire delegation was sent out of town to meet the brothers and the holy relics. As a result, the Pope gave his consent to conduct services in the Slavic language
During the trip, Kirill weakened and felt unwell. He fell ill from illness and, foreseeing his imminent death, asked his older brother to continue their common cause. He adopted the schema, changing the worldly name of Constantine to the spiritual name of Cyril. His older brother had to return from Rome alone.
Methodius without Cyril
As promised, Methodius continued his activities. Pope Adrian II proclaimed Methodius a bishop. He was allowed to conduct worship in the Slavic language, but on the condition that he must begin the service in Latin or Greek.
Upon returning home, Methodius took several students and began to translate the Old Testament into the Slavic language. He opened church schools and enlightened young, immature minds in matters of Orthodoxy. The population increasingly abandoned the parishes, where services were conducted in Latin, and went over to Methodius’s side. This period is one of the brightest episodes in the biography of Cyril and Methodius.
The sad fate of the followers
With the gradual growth of the authority of the German feudal lords and the change of power in the lands of Moravia, mass persecution of Methodius and his followers began. In 870 he was detained for “uncontrolled arbitrariness.” His associates are also arrested along with him.
They were in captivity for six months until they were brought to trial. As a result of lengthy disputes, Methodius was defrocked and imprisoned in a monastery. Only once he got to Rome was he able to refute the empty accusations and regain the rank of archbishop. He continued his educational activities until his death in 885.
After his death, a ban was immediately issued on holding services in the Slavic language. His students and followers faced death or slavery.
Despite all the difficulties, the brothers' life's work flourished with greater vigor. Thanks to them, many peoples acquired their written language. And for all the trials that the brothers had to endure, they were canonized - canonized. We know them as Equal-to-the-Apostles Cyril and Methodius. Everyone should know and honor the biography of Saints Cyril and Methodius as a tribute to their work.
Cyril and Methodius are Slavic first teachers, great preachers of Christianity, canonized not only by the Orthodox, but also by the Catholic Church.
The life and work of Cyril (Constantine) and Methodius is reproduced in sufficient detail on the basis of various documentary and chronicle sources.
Cyril (826-869) received this name when he was tonsured into the schema 50 days before his death in Rome; he lived his whole life with the name Constantine (Constantine the Philosopher). Methodius (814-885) - the monastic name of the saint, his secular name is unknown, presumably his name was Michael.
Cyril and Methodius are siblings. They were born in the city of Thessaloniki (Thessaloniki) in Macedonia (now a territory of Greece). Since childhood, they have mastered the Old Church Slavonic language - Old Bulgarian. From the words of Emperor Michael III, “Thessalonians” - everyone speaks purely Slavic.
Both brothers lived a mainly spiritual life, striving to embody their beliefs and ideas, attaching no importance to sensual joys, wealth, career, or fame. The brothers never had wives or children, they wandered all their lives, never creating a home or permanent shelter for themselves, and even died in a foreign land.
Both brothers went through life, actively changing it in accordance with their views and beliefs. But all that remained as traces of their deeds were the fruitful changes they made to folk life, and vague stories of lives, traditions, and legends.
The brothers were born into the family of Leo the Drungaria, a mid-ranking Byzantine military commander from the city of Thessalonica. There were seven sons in the family, with Methodius the eldest and Cyril the youngest.
According to one version, they came from a pious Slavic family who lived in the Byzantine city of Thessaloniki. From large number historical sources, mainly from " Brief Life Clement of Ohrid” it is known that Cyril and Methodius were Bulgarians. Since in the 9th century the First Bulgarian Kingdom was a multinational state, it is not entirely possible to determine exactly whether they were Slavs or Proto-Bulgarians or even had other roots. The Bulgarian kingdom consisted mainly of the ancient Bulgarians (Turks) and Slavs, who were already forming a new ethnos - the Slavic Bulgarians, who retained the old name of the ethnos, but were already a Slavic-Turkic people. According to another version, Cyril and Methodius were of Greek origin. There is an alternative theory of the ethnic origin of Cyril and Methodius, according to which they were not Slavs, but Bulgars (proto-Bulgarians). This theory also refers to the assumptions of historians that the brothers created the so-called. Glagolitic - an alphabet more similar to ancient Bulgarian than to Slavic.
Little is known about the first years of Methodius' life. There was probably nothing outstanding in the life of Methodius until it crossed with his life younger brother. Methodius entered military service early and was soon appointed governor of one of the Slavic-Bulgarian regions subject to Byzantium. Methodius spent about ten years in this position. Then he left the military-administrative service, which was alien to him, and retired to a monastery. In the 860s, having renounced the rank of archbishop, he became abbot of the Polychron monastery on the Asian shore of the Sea of Marmara, near the city of Cyzicus. Constantine also moved here, to a quiet shelter on Mount Olympus, for several years, in the interval between his travels to the Saracens and Khazars. The elder brother, Methodius, walked through life on a straight, clear path. Only twice did he change its direction: the first time by going to a monastery, and the second time by returning again under the influence of his younger brother to active work and struggle.
Kirill was the youngest of the brothers, from infancy he discovered extraordinary mental capacity, but was not in good health. The eldest, Mikhail, even in childhood games defended the youngest, weak and disproportionately big head, with small and short arms. He will protect his little brother until his death - both in Moravia, and at the Council in Venice, and before the papal throne. And then he will continue his brotherly work in written wisdom. And, holding hands, they will go down in the history of world culture.
Kirill was educated in Constantinople at the Magnavra School, the best educational institution Byzantium. Secretary of State Teoktist himself took care of Cyril’s education. Before reaching the age of 15, Kirill had already read the works of the most profound father of the church, Gregory the Theologian. The capable boy was taken to the court of Emperor Michael III, as a fellow student of his son. Under the guidance of the best mentors - including Photius, the future famous Patriarch of Constantinople - Cyril studied ancient literature, rhetoric, grammar, dialectics, astronomy, music and other “Hellenic arts”. The friendship between Cyril and Photius largely predetermined the future fate of Cyril. In 850, Cyril became a professor at the Magnavra school. Having abandoned a profitable marriage and a brilliant career, Kirill accepted the priesthood, and after secretly entering a monastery, he began teaching philosophy (hence the nickname Konstantin - “Philosopher”). The closeness with Photius affected Cyril’s struggle with the iconoclasts. He wins a brilliant victory over the experienced and ardent leader of the iconoclasts, which undoubtedly gives Constantine wide fame. The wisdom and strength of faith of the still very young Constantine were so great that he managed to defeat the leader of the iconoclast heretics, Annius, in a debate. After this victory, Constantine was sent by the emperor to debate about the Holy Trinity with the Saracens (Muslims) and also won. Having returned, Saint Constantine retired to his brother Saint Methodius on Olympus, spending time in unceasing prayer and reading the works of the holy fathers.
The “Life” of the saint testifies that he knew Hebrew, Slavic, Greek, Latin and Arabic well. Refusing a profitable marriage, as well as an administrative career offered by the emperor, Kirill became the patriarchal librarian at the Hagia Sophia. Soon he secretly retired to a monastery for six months, and upon his return he taught philosophy (external - Hellenic and internal - Christian) at the court school - the highest educational institution of Byzantium. Then he received the nickname “Philosopher”, which remained with him forever. It was not for nothing that Constantine was nicknamed the Philosopher. Every now and then he would escape from noisy Byzantium somewhere into solitude. I read and thought for a long time. And then, having accumulated another supply of energy and thoughts, he generously squandered it in travel, disputes, disputes, in scientific and literary creativity. Cyril's education was highly valued in the highest circles of Constantinople, and he was often involved in various diplomatic missions.
Cyril and Methodius had many students who became their true followers. Among them I would especially like to mention Gorazd Ohridski and Saint Naum.
Gorazd Ohridski - a disciple of Methodius, the first Slavic archbishop - he was the archbishop of Mikulčica, the capital of Great Moravia. Revered by the Orthodox Church in the ranks of saints, commemorated on July 27 (according to the Julian calendar) in the Cathedral of Bulgarian Enlighteners. In 885-886, under Prince Svatopluk I, a crisis arose in the Moravian Church; Archbishop Gorazd entered into a dispute with the Latin clergy, headed by Wichtig, Bishop of Nitrava, against whom St. Methodius imposed an anathema. Wichtig, with the approval of the pope, expelled Gorazd from the diocese and 200 priests with him, and he himself took his place as archbishop. At the same time, Clement of Ohrid fled to Bulgaria. They took with them the works created in Moravia and settled in Bulgaria. Those who did not obey - according to the testimony of the Life of St. Clement of Ohrid - were sold into slavery to Jewish merchants, from which they were redeemed by the ambassadors of Emperor Basil I in Venice and transported to Bulgaria. In Bulgaria, students created world-famous literary schools in Pliska, Ohrid and Preslavl, from where their works began to travel throughout Rus'.
Naum is a Bulgarian saint, especially revered in modern Macedonia and Bulgaria. Saint Naum, together with Cyril and Methodius, as well as with his ascetic Clement of Ohrid, is one of the founders of Bulgarian religious literature. Bulgarian Orthodox Church includes Saint Naum among the Seven. In 886-893 he lived in Preslav, becoming the organizer of a local literary school. Afterwards he created a school in Ohrid. In 905 he founded a monastery on the shores of Lake Ohrid, today named after him. His relics are also kept there.
Mount St. Naum on the island of Smolensk (Livingston) is also named after him.
In 858, Constantine, at the initiative of Photius, became the head of the mission to the Khazars. During the mission, Constantine replenishes his knowledge of the Hebrew language, which was used by the educated elite of the Khazars after they adopted Judaism. On the way, during a stop in Chersonese (Korsun), Constantine discovered the remains of Clement, Pope of Rome (1st-2nd centuries), who died, as they thought then, here in exile, and took part of them to Byzantium. The journey deep into Khazaria was filled with theological disputes with the Mohammedans and Jews. Constantine subsequently outlined the entire course of the dispute in Greek for reporting to the patriarch; Later, this report, according to legend, was translated by Methodius into the Slavic language, but, unfortunately, this work has not reached us. At the end of 862, the prince of Great Moravia (the state of the Western Slavs) Rostislav turned to the Byzantine Emperor Michael with a request to send preachers to Moravia who could spread Christianity in the Slavic language (sermons in those parts were read in Latin, unfamiliar and incomprehensible to the people). 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. Constantine goes to Bulgaria, converts many Bulgarians to Christianity; according to some scientists, during this trip he begins his work on the creation of the Slavic alphabet. Constantine and Methodius arrived in Great Moravia speaking the southern Slavic dialect of Soluni (now Thessalonica), i.e. the center of that part of Macedonia, which from time immemorial and up to our time belonged to Northern Greece. In Moravia, the brothers taught literacy and involved in translation activities, and not just rewriting books, people who undoubtedly spoke some kind of northwestern Slavic dialects. This is directly evidenced by lexical, word-formation, phonetic and other linguistic discrepancies in the oldest Slavic books that have come down to us (in the Gospel, Apostle, Psalter, Menaion of the 10th-11th centuries). Indirect evidence is described in Old Russian Chronicle the later practice of Grand Duke Vladimir I Svyatoslavich, when he introduced Christianity into Rus' as the state religion in 988. It was the children of his “deliberate children” (i.e., the children of his courtiers and the feudal elite) that Vladimir attracted for “book training,” sometimes even doing this by force, since the Chronicle reports that their mothers cried over them as if they were dead.
After completing the translation, the holy brothers were received with great honor in Moravia, and began to teach Divine services in the Slavic language. This aroused the anger of the German bishops, who performed divine services in Latin in the Moravian churches, and they rebelled against the holy brothers, arguing that divine services could only be performed 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: 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 learn all languages...” The German bishops were disgraced, but became even more embittered and filed a complaint to Rome. The holy brothers were called to Rome to resolve this issue.
To be able to preach Christianity in the Slavic language, it was necessary to translate the Holy Scriptures into the Slavic language; however, there was no alphabet capable of conveying Slavic speech at that moment.
Constantine began to create the Slavic alphabet. With the help of his brother Saint Methodius and the 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 Apostle, the Psalter and selected services. All these events date back to 863.
The year 863 is considered the year of birth of the Slavic alphabet
In 863, the Slavic alphabet was created (the Slavic alphabet existed in two versions: Glagolitic - from verb - “speech” and Cyrillic; scientists still have no consensus, which of these two options was created by Kirill). With the help of Methodius, a number of liturgical books were translated from Greek into Slavic. The Slavs were given the opportunity to read and write in their own language. The Slavs not only acquired their own Slavic alphabet, but also the first Slavic literary language was born, many words of which still live in Bulgarian, Russian, Ukrainian and other Slavic languages.
Cyril and Methodius were the founders of the literary and written language of the Slavs - the Old Church Slavonic language, which in turn was a kind of catalyst for the creation of the Old Russian literary language, Old Bulgarian and the literary languages of other Slavic peoples.
The younger brother wrote, the older brother translated his works. The younger created the Slavic alphabet, Slavic writing and bookmaking; the older one practically developed what the younger one created. The younger was a talented scientist, philosopher, brilliant dialectician and subtle philologist; the eldest is a capable organizer and practical activist.
Constantine, in the quiet of his refuge, was probably busy completing the work that was in connection with his not new plans for the conversion of the pagan Slavs. He compiled a special alphabet for the Slavic language, the so-called Glagolitic alphabet, and began translating the Holy Scriptures into Old Bulgarian. The brothers decided to return to their homeland and, in order to consolidate their business in Moravia, take with them some of the students, the Moravians, for education in the hierarchical ranks. On the way to Venice, which lay through Bulgaria, the brothers stayed for several months in the Pannonian principality of Kotsela, where, despite its ecclesiastical and political dependence, they did the same as in Moravia. Upon his arrival in Venice, Constantine had a violent clash with the local clergy. Here, in Venice, unexpectedly for the local clergy, they are given a kind message from Pope Nicholas with an invitation to Rome. Having received the papal invitation, the brothers continued their journey with almost complete confidence in success. This was further facilitated by the sudden death of Nicholas and the accession to the papal throne of Adrian II.
Rome solemnly greeted the brothers and the shrine they brought, part of the remains of Pope Clement. Adrian II approved not only the Slavic translation of the Holy Scriptures, but also the Slavic worship, consecrating the Slavic books brought by the brothers, allowing the Slavs to perform services in a number of Roman churches, and ordaining Methodius and his three disciples as priests. The influential prelates of Rome also reacted favorably to the brothers and their cause.
All these successes did not come easily to the brothers, of course. A skilled dialectician and an experienced diplomat, Constantine skillfully used for this purpose the struggle of Rome with Byzantium, and the vacillations of the Bulgarian prince Boris between the Eastern and Western churches, and the hatred of Pope Nicholas for Photius, and Adrian’s desire to strengthen his shaky authority by acquiring the remains of Clement. At the same time, Byzantium and Photius were still much closer to Constantine than Rome and the popes. But during the three and a half years of his life and struggle in Moravia, the main, only goal of Constantine was to strengthen the Slavic writing, Slavic bookmaking and culture that he created.
For almost two years, surrounded by sugary flattery and praise, combined with hidden intrigues of temporarily quiet opponents of Slavic worship, Constantine and Methodius lived in Rome. One of the reasons for their long delay was Constantine’s increasingly deteriorating health.
Despite weakness and illness, Constantine makes two new literary works: “The Finding of the Relics of St. Clement” and a poetic hymn in honor of the same Clement.
The long and difficult journey to Rome, the intense struggle with the irreconcilable enemies of Slavic writing, undermined Constantine’s already weak health. At the beginning of February 869, he went to bed, took the schema and the new monastic name Cyril, and died on February 14. Going to God, Saint Cyril commanded his brother Saint Methodius to continue their common cause - the enlightenment of the Slavic peoples with the light of the true faith.
Before his death, Kirill told his brother: “You and I, like two oxen, drove the same furrow. I am exhausted, but don’t think about leaving the work of teaching and retiring to your mountain again.” Methodius outlived his brother by 16 years. Enduring hardships and reproaches, he continued his great work - translating sacred books into Slavic, preaching Orthodox faith, baptism of the Slavic people. Saint Methodius begged the Pope to allow his brother’s body to be taken away for burial in his native land, but the Pope ordered the relics of Saint Cyril to be placed in the Church of Saint Clement, where miracles began to be performed from them.
After the death of St. Cyril, the pope, following the request of the Slavic prince Kocel, sent St. Methodius to Pannonia, ordaining him to the rank of Archbishop of Moravia and Pannonia, to the ancient throne of St. Apostle Andronikos. After the death of Cyril (869), Methodius continued his educational activities among the Slavs in Pannonia, where the Slavic books also included features of local dialects. Subsequently, the Old Church Slavonic literary language was developed by the students of the Thessaloniki brothers in the area of Lake Ohrid, then in Bulgaria proper.
With the death of a talented brother, for the modest, but selfless and honest Methodius, a painful, truly path of the cross begins, strewn with seemingly insurmountable obstacles, dangers and failures. But lonely Methodius stubbornly, in no way inferior to his enemies, follows this path to the very end.
True, on the threshold of this path, Methodius relatively easily achieves new great success. But this success gives rise to an even greater storm of anger and resistance in the camp of the enemies of Slavic writing and culture.
In the middle of 869, Adrian II, at the request of the Slavic princes, sent Methodius to Rostislav, his nephew Svyatopolk and Kocel, and at the end of 869, when Methodius returned to Rome, he elevated him to the rank of Archbishop of Pannonia, allowing worship in the Slavic language. Inspired by this new success, Methodius returns to Kotsel. With the constant help of the prince, he, together with his students, began a large and vigorous work to spread Slavic worship, writing and books in the Principality of Blaten and in neighboring Moravia.
In 870 Methodius was sentenced to imprisonment, having received charges of violating hierarchical rights to Pannonia.
He remained in prison, under the most difficult conditions, until 873, when the new Pope John VIII forced the Bavarian episcopate to release Methodius and return him to Moravia. Methodius is prohibited from Slavic worship.
He continues the work of the church structure of Moravia. Contrary to the pope's prohibition, Methodius continues to worship in the Slavic language in Moravia. Methodius this time also involved other Slavic peoples neighboring Moravia in the circle of his activities.
All this prompted the German clergy to take new actions against Methodius. German priests turn Svyatopolk against Methodius. Svyatopolk writes a denunciation to Rome against his archbishop, accusing him of heresy, of violating the canons catholic church and in disobedience to the pope. Methodius manages not only to justify himself, but even to win over Pope John to his side. Pope John allows Methodius to worship in the Slavic language, but appoints Viching, one of Methodius’s most ardent opponents, to be his bishop. Viching began to spread rumors about the condemnation of Methodius by Pope, but was exposed.
Extremely tired and exhausted by all these endless intrigues, forgeries and denunciations, feeling that his health was constantly weakening, Methodius went to rest in Byzantium. Methodius spent almost three years in his homeland. In mid-884 He returns to Moravia. Returning to Moravia, Methodius in 883. began translating the full text of the canonical books of Holy Scripture into Slavic (except for the Maccabees). Having finished his hard work, Methodius weakened even more. IN last years During his lifetime, Methodius' activities in Moravia took place under very difficult conditions. The Latin-German clergy in every way prevented the spread of the Slavic language as the language of the church. In the last years of his life, Saint Methodius, with the help of two disciple-priests, translated the entire Old Testament into Slavic, except for the Maccabean books, as well as the Nomocanon (Rules of the Holy Fathers) and the patristic books (Paterikon).
Anticipating the approach of his death, Saint Methodius pointed to one of his disciples, Gorazd, as a worthy successor. 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 Velehrad.
With the death of Methodius, his work in Moravia came close to destruction. With the arrival of Viching in Moravia, the persecution of the disciples of Constantine and Methodius began, and the destruction of their Slavic church. Up to 200 clergy disciples of Methodius were expelled from Moravia. The Moravian people gave them no support. Thus, the cause of Constantine and Methodius died not only in Moravia, but also among the Western Slavs in general. But it received further life and flourishing among the southern Slavs, partly among the Croats, more among the Serbs, especially among the Bulgarians and, through the Bulgarians, among the Russians, Eastern Slavs who united their destinies with Byzantium. This happened thanks to the disciples of Cyril and Methodius, expelled from Moravia.
From the period of activity of Constantine, his brother Methodius and their closest disciples, no written monuments have reached us, except for the relatively recently discovered inscriptions on the ruins of the church of King Simeon in Preslav (Bulgaria). It turned out that these ancient inscriptions were made not with one, but with two graphic varieties of Old Church Slavonic writing. One of them received the conventional name “Cyrillic” (from the name Cyril, adopted by Constantine when he was tonsured a monk); the other received the name “glagolitic” (from the Old Slavonic “verb”, which means “word”).
In their alphabetic composition, the Cyrillic and Glagolitic alphabets were almost identical. Cyrillic, according to the manuscripts of the 11th century that have reached us. had 43 letters, and the Glagolitic alphabet had 40 letters. Of the 40 Glagolitic letters, 39 served to convey almost the same sounds as the letters of the Cyrillic alphabet. Like the letters of the Greek alphabet, Glagolitic and Cyrillic letters had, in addition to sound, also a digital meaning, i.e. were used to designate not only speech sounds, but also numbers. At the same time, nine letters served to designate units, nine - for tens and nine - for hundreds. In Glagolitic, in addition, one of the letters denoted a thousand; in Cyrillic, a special sign was used to designate thousands. In order to indicate that a letter stands for a number and not a sound, the letter was usually highlighted on both sides with dots and a special horizontal line was placed above it.
In the Cyrillic alphabet, as a rule, only letters borrowed from the Greek alphabet had digital values: each of 24 such letters was assigned the same digital value that this letter had in the Greek digital system. The only exceptions were the numbers “6”, “90” and “900”.
Unlike the Cyrillic alphabet, in the Glagolitic alphabet the first 28 letters in a row received a numerical value, regardless of whether these letters corresponded to Greek or served to convey special sounds of Slavic speech. Therefore, the numerical value of most Glagolitic letters was different from both Greek and Cyrillic letters.
The names of the letters in the Cyrillic and Glagolitic alphabet were exactly the same; However, the time of origin of these names is unclear. The order of letters in the Cyrillic and Glagolitic alphabets was almost the same. This order is established, firstly, based on the numerical meaning of the letters of the Cyrillic and Glagolitic alphabet, secondly, on the basis of the acrostics of the 12th-13th centuries that have come down to us, and thirdly, on the basis of the order of letters in the Greek alphabet.
Cyrillic and Glagolitic were very different in the shape of their letters. In the Cyrillic alphabet, the shape of the letters was geometrically simple, clear and easy to write. Of the 43 letters of the Cyrillic alphabet, 24 were borrowed from the Byzantine charter, and the remaining 19 were constructed more or less independently, but in compliance with the uniform style of the Cyrillic alphabet. The shape of the Glagolitic letters, on the contrary, was extremely complex and intricate, with many curls, loops, etc. But the Glagolitic letters were graphically more original than the Kirillov ones, and were much less like the Greek ones.
The Cyrillic alphabet is a very skillful, complex and creative reworking of the Greek (Byzantine) alphabet. As a result of careful consideration of the phonetic composition of the Old Church Slavonic language, the Cyrillic alphabet had all the letters necessary for the correct transmission of this language. The Cyrillic alphabet was also suitable for accurately transmitting the Russian language in the 9th-10th centuries. The Russian language was already somewhat different phonetically from Old Church Slavonic. The correspondence of the Cyrillic alphabet to the Russian language is confirmed by the fact that for more than a thousand years it was necessary to introduce only two new letters into this alphabet; Multi-letter combinations and superscript symbols are not needed and are almost never used in Russian writing. This is precisely what determines the originality of the Cyrillic alphabet.
Thus, despite the fact that many letters of the Cyrillic alphabet coincide in form with Greek letters, the Cyrillic alphabet (as well as the Glagolitic alphabet) should be recognized as one of the most independent, creatively and innovatively constructed letter-sound systems.
The presence of two graphic varieties of Slavic writing still causes great controversy among scientists. After all, according to the unanimous testimony of all chronicles and documentary sources, Constantine developed one Slavic alphabet. Which of these alphabets was created by Constantine? Where and when did the second alphabet appear? These questions are closely related to others, perhaps even more important. Didn’t the Slavs have some kind of written language before the introduction of the alphabet developed by Constantine? And if it existed, what was it?
A number of works by Russian and Bulgarian scientists were devoted to evidence of the existence of writing in the pre-Cyrillic period among the Slavs, in particular among the eastern and southern ones. As a result of these works, as well as in connection with the discovery of the most ancient monuments of Slavic writing, the question of the existence of writing among the Slavs can hardly raise doubts. This is evidenced by many ancient literary sources: Slavic, Western European, Arabic. This is confirmed by the instructions contained in the treaties of the Eastern and Southern Slavs with Byzantium, some archaeological data, as well as linguistic, historical and general socialist considerations.
Fewer materials are available to resolve the question of what the ancient Slavic letter was and how it arose. Pre-Cyrillic Slavic writing, apparently, could only be of three types. Thus, in the light of the development of general patterns of development of writing, it seems almost certain that long before the formation of ties between the Slavs and Byzantium, they had various local varieties of the original primitive pictographic writing, such as the “traits and cuts” mentioned by Brave. The emergence of Slavic writing of the “devils and cuts” type should probably be attributed to the first half of the 1st millennium AD. e. True, the oldest Slavic letter could only have been a very primitive letter, which included a small, unstable and different assortment of simple figurative and conventional signs among different tribes. There was no way this writing could turn into any developed and ordered logographic system.
The use of the original Slavic script was also limited. These were, apparently, the simplest counting signs in the form of dashes and notches, family and personal signs, signs of ownership, signs for fortune telling, perhaps primitive route diagrams, calendar signs that served to date the start of various agricultural works, pagan holidays, etc. P. In addition to sociological and linguistic considerations, the existence of such writing among the Slavs is confirmed by quite numerous literary sources of the 9th-10th centuries. and archaeological finds. Having originated in the first half of the 1st millennium AD, this letter was probably preserved by the Slavs even after Cyril created an orderly Slavic alphabet.
The second, even more undoubted type of pre-Christian writing of the Eastern and Southern Slavs was a letter that can be conditionally called the “Proto-Cyril” letter. A letter of the “devils and cuts” type, suitable for indicating calendar dates, for fortune telling, counting, etc., was unsuitable for recording military and trade agreements, liturgical texts, historical chronicles and other complex documents. And the need for such records should have appeared among the Slavs simultaneously with the emergence of the first Slavic states. For all these purposes, the Slavs, even before they adopted Christianity and before the introduction of the alphabet created by Cyril, undoubtedly used Greek in the east and south, and Greek and Latin letters in the west.
The Greek script, used by the Slavs for two or three centuries before their official adoption of Christianity, had to gradually adapt to the transmission of the unique phonetics of the Slavic language and, in particular, be replenished with new letters. This was necessary for the accurate recording of Slavic names in churches, in military lists, for recording Slavic geographical names, etc. The Slavs have come a long way towards adapting Greek writing to more accurately convey their speech. To do this, ligatures were formed from the corresponding Greek letters, the Greek letters were supplemented with letters borrowed from other alphabets, in particular from the Hebrew, which was known to the Slavs through the Khazars. This is how the Slavic “Proto-Cyril” letter was probably formed. The assumption about such a gradual formation of the Slavic “proto-Cyril” letter is also confirmed by the fact that the Cyrillic alphabet in its later version that has come down to us was so well adapted for the accurate transmission of Slavic speech that this could only be achieved as a result of its long development. These are two undoubted varieties of pre-Christian Slavic writing.
The third, although not undoubted, but only a possible variety, can be called “proto-glagolic” writing.
The process of formation of the supposed proto-glagolic letter could occur in two ways. Firstly, this process could have taken place under the complex influence of Greek, Jewish-Khazar, and possibly also Georgian, Armenian and even runic Turkic writing. Under the influence of these writing systems, Slavic “lines and cuts” could gradually also acquire a letter-sound meaning, while partially retaining their original form. Secondly, some Greek letters could have been graphically modified by the Slavs in relation to the usual forms of “features and cuts”. Like the Cyrillic alphabet, the formation of proto-glagolic writing could also have begun among the Slavs no earlier than the 8th century. Since this letter was formed on the primitive basis of the ancient Slavic “traits and cuts”, by the middle of the 9th century. it was supposed to remain even less precise and orderly than the Proto-Cyril letter. Unlike the Proto-Cyrillic alphabet, the formation of which took place throughout almost the entire Slavic territory, which was under the influence of Byzantine culture, the Proto-Glagolitic letter, if it existed, was apparently first formed among the Eastern Slavs. In conditions of insufficient development in the second half of the 1st millennium AD. political and cultural connections between Slavic tribes, the formation of each of the three supposed types of pre-Christian Slavic writing would have occurred in different tribes in different ways. Therefore, we can assume the coexistence among the Slavs not only of these three types of writing, but also of their local varieties. In the history of writing, cases of such coexistence were very frequent.
Currently, the writing systems of all the peoples of Russia are built on the Cyrillic basis. Writing systems built on the same basis are also used in Bulgaria, partly in Yugoslavia and Mongolia. A script built on the Cyrillic basis is now used by peoples who speak more than 60 languages. The Latin and Cyrillic groups of writing systems seem to have the greatest vitality. This is confirmed by the fact that more and more new peoples are gradually switching to the Latin and Cyrillic basis of writing.
Thus, the foundations laid by Constantine and Methodius more than 1100 years ago continue to be continuously improved and successfully developed up to the present day. At the moment, most researchers believe that Cyril and Methodius created the Glagolitic alphabet, and the Cyrillic alphabet was created on the basis of the Greek alphabet by their students.
From the turn of the X-XI centuries. Kyiv, Novgorod, and the centers of other ancient Russian principalities became the largest centers of Slavic writing. The oldest Slavic-language handwritten books that have come down to us, having the date of their writing, were created in Rus'. These are the Ostromir Gospel of 1056-1057, the Izbornik of Svyatoslav of 1073, the Izbornik of 1076, the Archangel Gospel of 1092, the Novgorod Menaions dated to the 90s. The largest and most valuable fund of ancient handwritten books dating back to the written heritage of Cyril and Methodius, like those named, is located in the ancient repositories of our country.
The unbending faith of two people in Christ and in their ascetic mission for the good of the Slavic peoples - that’s what it was driving force the penetration, in the end, of writing into Ancient Rus'. The exceptional intellect of one and the stoic courage of the other - the qualities of two people who lived very long before us, turned out to be the fact that we now write them in letters, and put together our picture of the world according to their grammar and rules.
It is impossible to overestimate the introduction of writing into Slavic society. This is the greatest Byzantine contribution to the culture of the Slavic peoples. And he was created by Saints Cyril and Methodius. Only with the establishment of writing does it begin true story people, the history of their culture, the history of the development of their worldview, scientific knowledge, literature and art.
Cyril and Methodius never, in their life collisions and wanderings, found themselves in the lands Ancient Rus'. They lived more than a hundred years before they were officially baptized here and their letters were accepted. It would seem that Cyril and Methodius belong to the history of other nations. But it was they who radically changed the existence of the Russian people. They gave him the Cyrillic alphabet, which became the blood and flesh of his culture. And this is the greatest gift to people from an ascetic man.
In addition to the invention of the Slavic alphabet, during the 40 months of their stay in Moravia, Constantine and Methodius managed to solve two problems: some liturgical books were translated into Church Slavonic (ancient Slavic literary) language and people were trained who could serve using these books. However, this was not enough to spread Slavic worship. Neither Constantine nor Methodius were bishops and could not ordain their disciples as priests. Cyril was a monk, Methodius was a simple priest, and the local bishop was an opponent of Slavic worship. To give their activities official status, the brothers and several of their students went to Rome. In Venice, Constantine entered into a debate with opponents of worship at national languages. In Latin spiritual literature, the idea was popular that worship could only be performed in Latin, Greek and Hebrew. The brothers' stay in Rome was triumphant. Constantine and Methodius brought with them the relics of St. Clement, Pope of Rome, who, according to legend, was a disciple of the Apostle Peter. Clement's relics were a precious gift, and Constantine's Slavic translations were blessed.
The disciples of Cyril and Methodius were ordained priests, while the Pope sent a message to the Moravian rulers in which he officially allowed the services to be performed in the Slavic language: “After reflection, we decided to send to your countries our son Methodius, ordained by us, with his disciples, a perfect man reason and true faith, so that he enlightens you, as you yourself asked, explaining to you in your language the Holy Scripture, the entire liturgical rite and the Holy Mass, that is, services, including baptism, as the philosopher Constantine began to do with God's grace and by prayers of Saint Clement."
After the death of the brothers, their activities were continued by their students, expelled from Moravia in 886, in the South Slavic countries. (In the West, the Slavic alphabet and Slavic literacy did not survive; Western Slavs - Poles, Czechs ... - still use the Latin alphabet). Slavic literacy was firmly established in Bulgaria, from where it spread to the countries of the southern and eastern Slavs (9th century). Writing came to Rus' in the 10th century (988 - the baptism of Rus'). The creation of the Slavic alphabet had and still has great value for the development of Slavic writing, Slavic peoples, Slavic culture.
The merits of Cyril and Methodius in the history of culture are enormous. Kirill developed the first ordered Slavic alphabet and thus marked the beginning of the widespread development of Slavic writing. Cyril and Methodius translated many books from Greek, which was the beginning of the formation of the Old Church Slavonic literary language and Slavic bookmaking. Cyril and Methodius during for long years carried out great educational work among the Western and Southern Slavs and greatly contributed to the spread of literacy among these peoples. There is information that Kirill also created original works. For many years, Cyril and Methodius carried out great educational work among the Western and Southern Slavs and greatly contributed to the spread of literacy among these peoples. Throughout all their activities in Moravia and Panionia, Cyril and Methodius also waged a constant, selfless struggle against the attempts of the German Catholic clergy to ban the Slavic alphabet and books.
Cyril and Methodius were the founders of the first literary and written language of the Slavs - the Old Church Slavonic language, which in turn was a kind of catalyst for the creation of the Old Russian literary language, Old Bulgarian and the literary languages of other Slavic peoples. The Old Church Slavonic language was able to fulfill this role primarily due to the fact that it was not initially something rigid and stagnant: it itself was formed from several Slavic languages or dialects.
Finally, when assessing the educational activities of the Thessaloniki brothers, it should be borne in mind that they were not missionaries in the generally accepted sense of the word: they were not involved in the Christianization of the population as such (although they contributed to it), for Moravia by the time of their arrival was already a Christian state.
The creators of the Slavic alphabet are Methodius and Cyril.
At the end of 862, the prince of Great Moravia (the state of the Western Slavs) Rostislav turned to the Byzantine Emperor Michael with a request to send preachers to Moravia who could spread Christianity in the Slavic language (sermons in those parts were read in Latin, unfamiliar and incomprehensible to the people).
Emperor Michael sent the Greeks to Moravia - the scientist Constantine the Philosopher (he received the name Cyril Constantine when he became a monk in 869, and with this name he went down in history) and his older brother Methodius.
The choice was not random. Brothers Constantine and Methodius were born in Thessaloniki (Thessaloniki in Greek) into the family of a military leader and received a good education. Cyril studied in Constantinople at the court of the Byzantine Emperor Michael III, knew Greek, Slavic, Latin, Hebrew, and Arabic well, taught philosophy, for which he received the nickname Philosopher. Methodius was in military service, then for several years he ruled one of the regions inhabited by the Slavs; subsequently retired to a monastery.
In 860, the brothers had already made a trip to the Khazars for missionary and diplomatic purposes.
To be able to preach Christianity in the Slavic language, it was necessary to translate the Holy Scriptures into the Slavic language; however, there was no alphabet capable of conveying Slavic speech at that moment.
Constantine set about creating the Slavic alphabet. Methodius, who also knew the Slavic language well, helped him in his work, since a lot of Slavs lived in Thessaloniki (the city was considered half-Greek, half-Slavic). In 863, the Slavic alphabet was created (the Slavic alphabet existed in two versions: the Glagolitic alphabet - from verb - “speech” and the Cyrillic alphabet; until now, scientists do not have a consensus which of these two options was created by Cyril). With the help of Methodius, a number of liturgical books were translated from Greek into Slavic. The Slavs were given the opportunity to read and write in their own language. The Slavs not only acquired their own Slavic alphabet, but also the first Slavic literary language was born, many words of which still live in Bulgarian, Russian, Ukrainian and other Slavic languages.
The secret of the Slavic alphabet
The Old Church Slavonic alphabet got its name from the combination of two letters “az” and “buki”, which designated the first letters of the alphabet A and B. The most interesting fact is that the ancient Slavic alphabet was graffiti, i.e. messages scrawled on the walls. The first Old Slavonic letters appeared on the walls of churches in Pereslavl around the 9th century. And by the 11th century, ancient graffiti appeared in the St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv. It was on these walls that the letters of the alphabet were indicated in several styles, and below was the interpretation of the letter-word.
In 1574 it happened most important event, which contributed to a new round of development of Slavic writing. The first printed “ABC” appeared in Lvov, which was seen by Ivan Fedorov, the man who printed it.
ABC structure
If you look back, you will see that Cyril and Methodius created not just an alphabet, they revealed to the Slavic people new way, leading to the perfection of man on earth and the triumph of a new faith. If you look at historical events, the difference between which is only 125 years, you will understand that in fact the path to establishing Christianity on our land is directly related to the creation of the Slavic alphabet. After all, literally in one century, the Slavic people eradicated archaic cults and adopted a new faith. The connection between the creation of the Cyrillic alphabet and the adoption of Christianity today does not raise any doubts. The Cyrillic alphabet was created in 863, and already in 988, Prince Vladimir officially announced the introduction of Christianity and the overthrow of primitive cults.
Studying the Old Church Slavonic alphabet, many scientists come to the conclusion that in fact the first “ABC” is a secret writing that has a deep religious and philosophical meaning, and most importantly, that it is constructed in such a way that it represents a complex logical-mathematical organism. In addition, by comparing many finds, the researchers came to the conclusion that the first Slavic alphabet was created as a complete invention, and not as a creation that was created in parts by adding new letter forms. It is also interesting that most of the letters are old Slavic alphabet represent letters and numbers. Moreover, if you look at the entire alphabet, you will see that it can be conditionally divided into two parts, which are fundamentally different from each other. In this case, we will conditionally call the first half of the alphabet the “higher” part, and the second “lower”. The highest part includes the letters from A to F, i.e. from “az” to “fert” and is a list of letter-words that carry a meaning understandable to a Slav. The lower part of the alphabet begins with the letter “sha” and ends with “izhitsa”. The letters of the lower part of the Old Church Slavonic alphabet do not have a numerical value, unlike the letters of the higher part, and carry a negative connotation.
In order to understand the secret writing of the Slavic alphabet, it is necessary not just to skim through it, but to read carefully into each letter-word. After all, each letter-word contains a semantic core that Konstantin put into it.
Literal truth, the highest part of the alphabet
Az is the initial letter of the Slavic alphabet, which denotes the pronoun Ya. However, its root meaning is the word “initially”, “begin” or “beginning”, although in everyday life the Slavs most often used Az in the context of a pronoun. Nevertheless, in some Old Slavonic letters one can find Az, which meant “one”, for example, “I will go to Vladimir”. Or “starting from scratch” meant “starting from the beginning.” Thus, the Slavs denoted with the beginning of the alphabet the entire philosophical meaning of existence, where without beginning there is no end, without darkness there is no light, and without good there is no evil. At the same time, the main emphasis in this is placed on the duality of the structure of the world. Actually, the alphabet itself is built on the principle of duality, where it is conventionally divided into two parts: higher and lower, positive and negative, the part located at the beginning and the part that is at the end. In addition, do not forget that Az has a numerical value, which is expressed by the number 1. Among the ancient Slavs, the number 1 was the beginning of everything beautiful. Today, while studying Slavic numerology, we can say that the Slavs, like other peoples, divided all numbers into even and odd. Moreover, odd numbers were the embodiment of everything positive, good and bright. Even numbers, in turn, represented darkness and evil. Moreover, the unit was considered the beginning of all beginnings and was highly revered by the Slavic tribes. From the point of view of erotic numerology, it is believed that 1 represents the phallic symbol from which procreation begins. This number has several synonyms: 1 is one, 1 is one, 1 is times.
Beeches(Beech) is the second letter-word in the alphabet. It has no numerical meaning, but has no less deep philosophical meaning than Az. Buki means “to be”, “will be” was most often used when using phrases in the future form. For example, “boudi” means “let it be,” and “boudous,” as you probably already guessed, means “future, upcoming.” In this word, our ancestors expressed the future as an inevitability, which could be either good and rosy or gloomy and terrible. It is still not known for certain why Constantine did not give a numerical value to Bukam, but many scientists suggest that this is due to the duality of this letter. Indeed, by and large, it denotes the future, which every person imagines for himself in a rosy light, but on the other hand, this word also denotes the inevitability of punishment for committed low deeds.
Lead- an interesting letter of the Old Church Slavonic alphabet, which has a numerical value of 2. This letter has several meanings: to know, to know and to own. When Constantine put this meaning into the Vedi, he meant secret knowledge, knowledge as the highest divine gift. If you put Az, Buki and Vedi into one phrase, you will get a phrase that means “I will know!”. Thus, Constantine showed that a person who discovered the alphabet he created would subsequently possess some kind of knowledge. The numerical load of this letter is no less important. After all, 2 - deuce, two, pair were not just numbers among the Slavs, they took an active part in magical rituals and in general were symbols of the duality of everything earthly and heavenly. The number 2 among the Slavs meant the unity of heaven and earth, the duality of human nature, good and evil, etc. In a word, the deuce was a symbol of the confrontation between two sides, heavenly and earthly balance. Moreover, it is worth noting that the Slavs considered two to be a devilish number and attributed a lot of negative properties to it, believing that it was two that opened the numerical series of negative numbers that bring death to a person. That is why the birth of twins in Old Slavonic families was considered a bad sign, which brought illness and misfortune to the family. In addition, the Slavs considered it a bad sign for two people to rock a cradle, for two people to dry themselves with the same towel, and generally to perform any action together. Despite such a negative attitude towards the number 2, the Slavs recognized its magical power. For example, many exorcism rituals were performed using two identical objects or with the participation of twins.
Having examined the highest part of the alphabet, we can state the fact that it is Constantine’s secret message to his descendants. “Where is this visible?” - you ask. Now try to read all the letters, knowing their true meaning. If you take several subsequent letters, then edifying phrases are formed:
Vedi + Verb means “know the teaching”;
Rtsy + Word + Firmly can be understood as the phrase “speak the true word”;
Firmly + Oak can be interpreted as “strengthen the law.”
If you look closely at other letters, you can also find the secret writing that Constantine the Philosopher left behind.
Have you ever wondered why the letters in the alphabet are in this particular order and not in any other? The order of the “highest” part of the Cyrillic letters can be considered from two positions.
Firstly, the fact that each letter-word forms a meaningful phrase with the next one may mean a non-random pattern that was invented to quickly memorize the alphabet.
Secondly, the Old Church Slavonic alphabet can be considered from the point of view of numbering. That is, each letter also represents a number. Moreover, all letter-numbers are arranged in ascending order. So, the letter A - “az” corresponds to one, B - 2, D - 3, D - 4, E - 5, and so on up to ten. Tens begin with the letter K, which are listed here similarly to units: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 70, 80 and 100.
In addition, many scientists have noticed that the outlines of the letters of the “higher” part of the alphabet are graphically simple, beautiful and convenient. They were perfect for cursive writing, and a person did not experience any difficulties in depicting these letters. And many philosophers see in the numerical arrangement of the alphabet the principle of the triad and spiritual harmony that a person achieves, striving for good, light and truth.
Having studied the alphabet from the very beginning, we can come to the conclusion that Constantine left his descendants the main value - a creation that encourages us to strive for self-improvement, learning, wisdom and love, remembering the dark paths of anger, envy and enmity.
Now, revealing the alphabet, you will know that the creation that was born thanks to the efforts of Constantine the Philosopher is not just a list of letters with which words begin that express our fear and indignation, love and tenderness, respect and delight.
Cyril (826 - 869) and Methodius (815 - 885) - educators, creators of the Slavic alphabet, saints equal to the apostles, translated Scripture into the Slavic language.
Cyril (Constantine - in the world) and Methodius were born in Greece, in the city of Thessaloniki (Thessaloniki) in the family of the Drungarian (military leader) Leo. From 833, Methodius was a military man and served at the imperial court of Theophilus, and in 835-45. was an archon (ruler) of one of the Slavic principalities.
Later, Methodius went to Olympus, to the Bithynia monastery. Kirill was highly gifted since childhood, in the 40s. studied at the Magnaur Imperial School in Constantinople, where his mentors were Leo the Mathematician, the head of the capital's university, and Photius, the future patriarch.
At this time, Cyril's scientific interests turned to philology, apparently under the influence of the Photius circle. The famous Slavic historian B.N. Florya wrote that “it was under the leadership of Photius that Constantine took the first steps towards becoming the greatest philologist of his time.”
After graduating from the Magnaur school, Kirill accepted the priesthood and was appointed librarian at the Cathedral of St. Sophia. But soon he leaves Constantinople due to disagreements with Patriarch Ignatius and retires to the shores of the Bosphorus in a monastery. Six months later he returns and begins teaching philosophy at the school where he studied. Apparently, from then on they began to call him Cyril the Philosopher.
Around 855, Cyril was part of a diplomatic mission to the Arabs, and both brothers in 860-61. were part of the Khazar mission. Traveling, they ended up in Chersonesos, where they found the Psalter and Gospel “written in Russian letters” (Life of St. Cyril, VIII). This information is interpreted in different ways.
Some scientists believe that we are talking about pre-Cyril ancient Russian writing, others think that the hagiographer had in mind a version of the Gothic translation of Ulfilas, and the majority believes that we should read not “Russians”, but “Surskie”, that is, Syriac ones. In Khazaria, Cyril conducts theological debates with Gentiles, including Jews.
These disputes were recorded and information about them is reflected in the life of the saint. From them we can understand Cyril's biblical hermeneutics. For example, he points not only to the continuity between the 2 Testaments, but also to the order of the stages of the Testament and Revelation within the Old Testament. He said that Abraham observed such a rite as circumcision, although it was not commanded to Noah, and at the same time, he could not fulfill the laws of Moses, since they did not yet exist. Likewise, Christians accepted God’s new Testament, and for them the old things passed away (Life of St. Cyril, 10).
In the fall of 861, having returned from Khazaria, Methodius became abbot at the Polychron monastery, and Cyril continued his scientific and theological lessons at the Church of the 12 Apostles (Constantinople). 2 years later, Prince of Moravia Rostislav asked to send the brothers to Great Moravia to teach the people its “right Christian faith.” The Gospel had already been preached there, but it had not taken deep root.
In preparation for this mission, the brothers created the alphabet for the Slavs. For a long time historians and philologists debated whether it was Cyrillic or Glagolitic. As a result, priority was given to the Glagolitic alphabet, based on the Greek minuscule letter (the letter Ш was created on the basis of the Hebrew letter shin). Only later, towards the end of the 9th century, was the Glagolitic alphabet replaced by the Cyrillic alphabet in many South Slavic lands (for example, Minuscules; Church Slavonic editions of the Bible).
Using their new alphabet, Cyril and Methodius began to translate the Gospel of Aprakos, it was chosen based on the needs of the service. L.P. Zhukovskaya in her textual study proved that Kirill first translated the short, Sunday Aprakos.
Its most ancient lists have survived to this day in the Slavic edition of the 11th century. (for example, the Assemanian Gospel), together with the chosen Apostle (the earliest, the Eninsky list, also dates back to the 11th century). In the preface written for the translation of the Gospel into Slavic, Cyril refers to the translation experience of a number of Syrian authors who were considered unfaithful, which speaks not only of his knowledge of Semitic languages, but also of his broad views. Methodius and their students, after the death of Cyril, brought short translations to complete ones.
The translation work begun by the brothers in Constantinople was continued in Moravia by them in 864-67. The Slavic translation of the Bible is based on Lucian’s (also called Syriac, or Constantinople) review of Scripture, this was also noted by Evseev.
This is also evidenced by the contents of the Slavic collection of Proverbs. The brothers did not compile new books, but only made translations of similar Greek collections of Profitologies, which originate from the Lucian version. The Cyrillomethodian Paremiynik not only recreates the Constantinople type of Profitology, but, as Evseev says, “is a copy of the text of the very center of Byzantineism - the reading of the Great Church of Constantinople.”
As a result, in more than 3 years, the brothers not only completed a collection of Slavic texts of Scripture, including the Psalter, but, at the same time, founded a fairly developed form of the language of the medieval Slavs. They worked in difficult political conditions. Moreover, the German bishops, who were afraid of curtailing their rights in Moravia, put forward the so-called “trilingual doctrine”, according to which “only three languages, Hebrew, Greek and Latin, were chosen from above, in which it is proper to give praise to God.” Therefore, they tried in every possible way to discredit the work of Cyril and Methodius.
A synod of bishops was even convened in Venice, which defended the “trilinguals.” But Kirill successfully repelled all attacks. Pope Adrian II was on his side, he received the brothers in Rome with honor. They brought here the relics of the Pope of Rome, the Hieromartyr Clement, from Chersonesos.
After Cyril died in Rome (his grave is there), Methodius continued the work. He became Archbishop of Pannonia and Moravia. He translated most of the biblical canon in 870 with 3 disciples in 8 months. True, this translation has not reached us in full, but one can judge its composition from the list of sacred books that Methodius cites in the Slavic Nomocanon.
Traces of translations by Methodius and his assistants remained in later Glagolitic Croatian manuscripts (the Book of Ruth, according to A.V. Mikhailov, is the best translation of the Methodius group, or, for example, the translation of the Song of Songs). In the translation of Methodius, according to Evseev, the proverbial texts were reproduced completely and unchanged; other parts were translated with the same lexical and grammatical properties as the proverb.
Rome had to defend the apostolic activity of Methodius from the opposition of the Latin clergy. Pope John VIII wrote: “Our brother Methodius is holy and faithful, and does apostolic work, and in his hands from God and the apostolic throne are all the Slavic lands.”
But there was a gradual intensification of the struggle between Byzantium and Rome for influence on the Slavic lands. Methodius was in prison for 3 years. Being near death, he bequeaths his department to the native of Moravia Gorazd. In his last years he had more hopes for help from Constantinople than from Rome. And in fact, after the death of Methodius, the German Viching, his opponent, gained an advantage. Methodius was accused of breaking his promise to maintain worship in Latin, and his disciples were expelled from Moravia.
But, nevertheless, the works of the Thessaloniki brothers were not forgotten. The Slavic Bible was read by many peoples, and it soon reached Rus'.
The Orthodox Church celebrates the memory of St. Cyril on February 14, and on April 6 - St. Methodius, two brothers - on May 11.
It is celebrated both in Russia and in some other Slavic countries. In Russia, festive events take place over several days.
Cyril and Methodius, Slavic educators, creators of the Slavic alphabet, preachers of Christianity, the first translators of liturgical books from Greek into Slavic. Cyril (before accepting monasticism in early 869 - Constantine) (827 - 02/14/869) and his older brother Methodius (815 - 04/06/885) were born in Thessaloniki (Thessaloniki) in the family of a military leader.
Cyril was educated at the court of the Byzantine Emperor Michael III in Constantinople, where Photius was one of his teachers. He knew Slavic, Greek, Latin, Hebrew and Arabic well. Refusing the administrative career offered to him by the emperor, Kirill became the patriarchal librarian, then taught philosophy (received the nickname “Philosopher”).
In the 40s successfully participated in disputes with iconoclasts; in the 50s was in Syria, where he won a victory in theological disputes with Muslims. Around 860 he made a diplomatic trip to the Khazars. Methodius entered military service early. For 10 years he was the manager of one of the regions inhabited by the Slavs. Then he retired to a monastery. In the 60s, having renounced the rank of archbishop, he became abbot of the Polychron monastery on the Asian shore of the Sea of Marmara.
In 863, Cyril and Methodius were sent by the Byzantine emperor to Moravia in order to preach Christianity in the Slavic language and assist the Moravian prince Rostislav in the fight against the German feudal lords. Before leaving, Cyril created the Slavic alphabet and, with the help of Methodius, translated several liturgical books from Greek into Slavic (selected readingsfrom the Gospel, apostolic epistles, psalter, etc.).
There is no consensus in science on the question of which alphabet Kirill created - Glagolitic or Cyrillic (most scientists believe that Glagolitic). The preaching of the brothers in the Slavic language, understandable to the Moravian population, laid the foundation of the national church, but caused discontent among the German Catholic clergy. Cyril and Methodius were accused of heresy.
In 866 (or 867) Cyril and Methodius were summoned by Pope Nicholas I headed to Rome, along the way they visited the Principality of Blaten (Pannonia), where they also distributed Slavic literacy and Slavic liturgical rites. Pope Adrian II, in a special message, allowed them to distribute Slavic books and Slavic worship. After arriving in Rome, Kirill became seriously ill and died. Methodius was consecrated to the rank of Archbishop of Moravia and Pannonia and in 870 returned from Rome to Pannonia. The German clergy, who sought to deal with Methodius, through intrigue, achieved his imprisonment; After his release from prison, Methodius continued his activities in Moravia.
In 882-884 he lived in Byzantium. In mid-884, Methodius returned to Moravia and worked on translating the Bible into Slavic. With their activities, Cyril and Methodius laid the foundation for Slavic writing and literature. This activity was continued in the South Slavic countries by the disciples of Cyril and Methodius, expelled from Moravia in 886.
Great Soviet Encyclopedia
Educational activities of Saints Cyril and Methodius
The holy brothers Cyril and Methodius are Christian preachers and missionaries, educators of the Slavic peoples. In 863, the Byzantine emperor sent the brothers to Moravia to preach to the Slavs. The brothers compiled the first Slavic alphabet and translated liturgical books into the Slavic language. Thus, the foundations of Slavic writing and culture were laid.
The memory of Saints Cyril and Methodius, equal to the apostles, was celebrated among the Slavic peoples in ancient times. Then the celebration was forgotten and restored in the Russian Church only in 1863, when a resolution was adopted to remember the Slovenian educators on May 11 (24 BC).
Modern celebration
In 1985, the Slavic world celebrated the 1100th anniversary of the death of St. equal to 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 Council of the RSFSR adopted a Resolution on the annual holding of Days of Slavic Literature and Culture. Since 1991, state and public organizations began to hold Days of Slavic Literature and Culture together with the Russian Orthodox Church.
During the celebration, various church events are held,sacred to Saints Cyril and Methodius: services in the Assumption Cathedral of the Kremlin and other churches in Russia, religious processions, children's pilgrimage missions to Russian monasteries, scientific and practical conferences, exhibitions, concerts.
Since 1991, as part of the celebration of the days of Slavic culture and literature, the annual spiritual and cultural expedition “Slavic Movement” has been held in the cities of Russia.
This is interesting
In Bulgarian schools, on the eve of Saints Cyril and Methodius Day, “letter days” are held - quizzes and educational games.
In the Czech Republic, the day of remembrance of the brothers Cyril and Methodius and the holiday of Slavic writing is celebrated on July 5.
Celebration centersdays of Slavic culture and writing
Until 2010, every year the center of the celebration was moved to one of the Russian cities. In 1986 it was Murmansk, in 1987 - Vologda, in 1992 and 1993 - Moscow.
The monument to Saints Cyril and Methodius is located on Slavyanskaya Square in Moscow.
Since 2010, Moscow has become the capital of the days of Slavic writing.