04.05.2012

The Day of Slavic written literature and culture

The Day of Slavic written literature and culture (The saints Cyrill and Methodius’ day) is the Russian name of the holiday timed to the memory day of the saints equal apostles brothers Methodius and Cyrill (IX), who are called the Slovenian teachers. They were born in Macedonia at the beginning of the IX-th century in the city of Soluni and by origin they were Slavs of a noble origin. In the year of 863 the emperor of Byzantine sent the brothers to Moravia to preach to the Slavs. The brothers compiled the first Slav ABC and translated the Church sermon books into the Slav language. Thus there were created the basics of the Slav written literature and culture.

   The holiday is official in Russia as well as in some other Slav countries.

    The history of the holiday goes back to the church tradition which existed in Bulgaria in the X-XI cc. The earliest data on the celbration of May 11 (by the old style) of the Saints equal apostles Cyrill and Methodius’ day are dated by the XII-th century, although they were acknoqledged as saints already at the end of the IX-th century.

    The general holiday of the saints Cyrill and Methodius was celebrated by the Bulgarian church in the subsequent ecnturies, and in the epoch of Bulgarian Renaissance it turned into the holiday of the ABC created by them.

   In the year of 1863 the Russian Holy Synod determined the annual celebration in connection with the celebration of the millennium of the Moravian mission of the Saints Cyrill and Methodius in their honor to be held on May 11.

    The Day of the Saints Cyrill and Methodius (the holiday of Slav written literature) is the only one state and church holiday in Czechia. The holiday is celebrated on July 5.