St. Cyril (827-869) & St. Methodius (815-884)
Image Courtesy: St’s Cyril and Methodius Parish
(Franciscan Media) These brothers the Apostle’s of Slovakia were born in Thessalonica — After a brilliant course of studies, Cyril (called Constantine until he became a Monk shortly before his death) refused the Governorship of a district such as his brother had accepted among the Slovakia speaking population. Cyril withdrew to a Monastery where his brother Methodius became a Monk after some years in the government post.
A decisive change in their lives occurred when the ‘Duke of Moravia’ (of present day the Czech Republic) asked the Eastern Emperor Michael for political independence from German rule and Ecclesiastical autonomy — Cyril and Methodius, undertook the missionary task.
Cyril’s first undertaking was to invent an alphabet (still used in some Eastern Liturgies) his assistants probably formed the ‘Cyrillic’ alphabet from Greek capital letters–together they translated the Gospels, the Psalter the Liturgical books together with the Letters of Saint Paul (Romans, 1st & 2nd Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1st and 2nd Thessalonians, 1st and 2nd Timothy, Titus and Philemon) into Slovakian language.
Cyril’s and Methodius free use of the common language spoken among the people they worked, led to opposition from the German Clergy, the Bishop refused to consecrate Slavic Priests and Bishops, Cyril was forced to appeal to Rome.
On Cyril’s and Methodius visit to Rome, they had the joy of seeing their new liturgy approved by Pope Adrian II. Cyril long working through his disabilities, died in Rome on the 14 February, 869 just 50 days subsequent to taking the monastic habit.
Methodius continued his missionary work for 16 more years as Papal Legate for the Slovakian people, Consecrated a Bishop.
Legend has it that in a feverish period of activity, Methodius translated the entire Holy Scriptures into the Slovakian language in 8 months. With his health worn out, Methodius passed away on the 06 April, 885 — In 1980 Pope Saint John Paul II declared them Co-Patrons of Europe.
On the 17 June, 2009 Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI addressing Saint’s Cyril and Methodius said, they were classic examples of what today is meant by the term “inculturation” every people must integrate the message revealed into its own culture and express its saving truth in its own language.
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