Cyril (Greek: Κύριλλος, romanized: Kýrillos; born Constantine [Greek: Κωνσταντίνος, romanized: Konstantínos]; 826–869) and Methodius (Μεθόδιος, Methódios; born Michael [Greek: Μιχαήλ, romanized: Michaíl]; 815–885) were brothers, Byzantine Christian theologians and missionaries. For their work evangelizing the Early Slavs, they are known as the "Apostles to the Slavs".
They are credited with devising the Glagolitic alphabet, the first alphabet used to transcribe Old Church Slavonic. After their deaths, their pupils continued their missionary work among other Slavs. Both brothers are venerated in the Eastern Orthodox Church as saints with the title of "equal-to-apostles". In 1880, Pope Leo XIII introduced their feast into the calendar of the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church. In 1980, the first Slav pope, Pope John Paul II declared them co-patron saints of Europe, together with Benedict of Nursia.
The two brothers were born in Thessalonica, at that time in the Byzantine province of the same name (today in Greece) – Cyril in 827–828, and Methodius in 815–820. According to the Vita Cyrilli ("The Life of Cyril"), Cyril was reputedly the youngest of seven brothers; he was born Constantine, but was given the name Cyril upon becoming a monk in Rome shortly before his death. Methodius was born Michael and was given the name Methodius upon becoming a monk in Polychron Monastery at Mysian Olympus (present-day Uludağ in northwest Turkey). Their father was Leo, a droungarios of the Byzantine theme of Thessalonica, and their mother's name was Maria.
The exact ethnic origins of the brothers are unknown; there is controversy as to whether Cyril and Methodius were of Slavic or Greek origin, or both. The two brothers lost their father when Cyril was fourteen, and the powerful minister Theoktistos, who was logothetes tou dromou, one of the chief ministers of the Empire, became their protector. He was also responsible, along with the regent Bardas, for initiating a far-reaching educational program within the Empire which culminated in the establishment of the University of Magnaura, where Cyril was to teach. Cyril was ordained as priest some time after his education, while his brother Methodius remained a deacon until 867/868.
About 860, Byzantine Emperor Michael III and the Patriarch of Constantinople Photius, a professor of Cyril's at the university and his guiding light in earlier years, sent Cyril on a missionary expedition to the Khazars who had requested a scholar be sent to them who could converse with Jews and Saracens. It has been claimed that Methodius accompanied Cyril on the mission to the Khazars, but this may be a later invention. The account of his life presented in the Latin "Legenda" claims that he learned the Khazar language while in Chersonesos, in Taurica (modern Crimea).
After his return to Constantinople, Cyril assumed the office of professor of philosophy in the university. His brother by this time had become a significant figure in Byzantine political and administrative affairs, and abbot of his monastery.
In 862, the brothers began the work which would give them their historical importance. That year Prince Rastislav of Great Moravia requested that Emperor Michael III and Patriarch Photius send missionaries to evangelize his Slavic subjects. His motives in doing so were probably more political than religious. Rastislav became King with the support of the Frankish ruler Louis the German, though he subsequently sought to assert his independence from the Franks. That Cyril and Methodius might have been the first to bring Christianity to Moravia is a common misconception; Rastislav's letter to Michael III stated clearly that his people "had already rejected paganism and adhere to the Christian law." Rastislav is said to have expelled missionaries of the Roman Church and instead turned to Constantinople for ecclesiastical assistance and, presumably, political support. The Emperor quickly chose to send Cyril, accompanied by his brother Methodius. The request provided a convenient opportunity to expand Byzantine influence. Their first work seems to have been the training of assistants. In 863 they began translating the Gospels and essential liturgical books into what is now known as Old Church Slavonic, and travelled to Great Moravia to promote it. This endeavour was amply rewarded. However, they came into conflict with German clerics, who opposed their efforts to create a specifically Slavic liturgy.
For the purpose of this mission, they devised the Glagolitic script, the first alphabet to be used for Slavonic manuscripts. The Glagolitic alphabet was suited to match the specific features of the Slavonic language. Many languages continue to use its descendant script, Cyrillic.
The brothers wrote the first Slavic Civil Code, which was used in Great Moravia. Many Orthodox churches and some Eastern Catholic churches continue to use the language derived from Old Church Slavonic, known as Church Slavonic, in their liturgies.
Exactly how much the brothers translated is impossible to know. The New Testament and the Psalms seem to have been the first, followed by other lessons from the Old Testament. The "Translatio" speaks only of a version of the Gospels by Cyril, and the "Vita Methodii" only of the "evangelium Slovenicum", though other liturgical selections may also have been translated.
Nor is it known for certain which liturgy, whether of Rome or Constantinople, they used as a source. They may well have used the Roman alphabet, as hinted by liturgical fragments adhering closely to the Latin type. This view is confirmed by the "Prague Fragments" and by certain Old Glagolitic liturgical fragments brought from Jerusalem to Kiev and discovered there by Izmail Sreznevsky—probably the oldest document in the Slavonic tongue; examples of where they resemble the Latin type include the words "Mass", "Preface", and the name of one "Felicitas". Regardless, the circumstances were such that the brothers could have hoped for no lasting success without authorization from Rome.
Journey to Rome and death of Cyril
The mission of Cyril and Methodius had great success among Slavs in part because they used the people's native language rather than Latin or Greek. In Great Moravia, Cyril and Methodius also encountered missionaries from East Francia, who would have represented the western, i. e. Latin, Church; epitomized the Carolingian Empire that Charlemagne established; and been intent on linguistic, cultural, and liturgical uniformity with its Roman Rite in Latin. They regarded Moravia and the Slavs as subject to their rightful missionary territory.
When friction developed with these western missionaries, the brothers, unwilling to cause dissension with fellow Catholics, decided to travel to Rome to consult the Pope as to a solution that would avoid quarrelling between missionaries in the field. In 867 Pope Nicholas I (858-67) invited the brothers to Rome. Their evangelical mission in Moravia by this time had become the focus of a dispute with Archbishop Adalwin of Salzburg (859–73) and Bishop Ermanrich of Passau (866-74), who claimed ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the same territory and desired converts there to use the Roman Rite exclusively.
With them they brought the relics of Pope Saint Clement I and many disciples. They passed through Pannonia (the Balaton Principality), where Prince Koceľ received them well. Their activity in Pannonia made inevitable the continuation of conflicts with the German episcopate, and especially with the Bishop of Salzburg, whose prerogative Pannonia had been for 75 years. As early as 865, Bishop Adalwin exercised episcopal rights there. The administration under him was in the hands of Archpriest Riehbald. He was obliged to retire to Salzburg, though his superior was instinctively disinclined to abandon his claim.
The brothers sought support from Rome, and were received warmly there in 868. This was partly because they brought the relics of Saint Clement, and rivalry with the Patriarchate of Constantinople regarding the territory of the Slavs would have inclined Rome to value the brothers and their influence.