Cyril and Methodius Day in the Czech Republic (05/07)

July 5 — Day of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Brothers Cyril and Methodius — is a public holiday in the Czech Republic. This holiday of Slavic writing.

On this day, solemn services are held in churches and cathedrals of the Czech Republic, including the Orthodox Cathedral of Cyril and Methodius in Prague.

The creators of the Slavic alphabet, brothers Cyril and Methodius, are rightfully called first teachers and apostles. They not only laid the foundation for the widespread development of Slavic writing and translated many books from Greek, but also contributed to the fact that recently baptized peoples heard more clearly the « verbs of eternal life» and felt the universal breath of Christianity. It is no coincidence that both the Orthodox and Catholic churches canonized them. Thanks to them, the Slavs began to hear the word of the Lord in their native language and were also able to praise Him with dignity.

Brothers Cyril and Methodius were from the Macedonian city of Soluni. Now this Greek city on the shores of the Aegean Sea is known as Thessaloniki. Methodius was the eldest of seven brothers, and the youngest was Constantine. The younger brother received the name Kirill when tonsured as a monk just before his death.

The father of Methodius and Cyril held the high post of assistant governor of the city. There is an assumption that their mother was Slavic, because the brothers knew the Slavic language as well as Greek from childhood. They received an excellent upbringing and education. Konstantin discovered extraordinary mental talents from infancy.

Rumors about this reached Constantinople, and then he was taken to court, where he studied with the emperor’s son with the best teachers of the capital of Byzantium. Constantine faced a brilliant career at the imperial court, wealth and marriage to a noble, beautiful girl. But he chose to retire to a monastery on Mount Olympus to his brother Methodius.

Constantine's whole life was filled with frequent difficult, difficult trials and hard work. This undermined his strength, and at the age of 42 he became very ill. Shortly before his death, he became a monk with the name Kirill and died quietly in 869. Fearing that his brother would have the intention of returning to his former monastic life in the monastery, before his death Kirill told him: « You and I, like two oxen, led one furrow. And I fall on my own line, my day is over. Don’t you even think about leaving the work of the teaching to retire to your mountain. No, here, among the Slavs, you can rather find salvation».

Methodius outlived his brother by 16 years. Enduring hardships and vilifications, he continued the great work — translation of sacred books into the Slavic language, preaching of the Orthodox faith, baptism of the Slavic people.

The translation activities of the holy brothers Cyril and Methodius once again showed that any language, the language of any people on earth is pleasing to God and can serve as a liturgical language.

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