The Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Cyril, Teacher of the Slavs
Commemorated on February 14
The Holy
Equal-to-the-Apostles Cyril, Teacher of the Slavs (named Constantine –
upon his assuming of the Schema), and his older brother Methodios (Comm. 6
April), were by descent Slavs, born in Macedonia in the city of Soluneia
(Thessalonika). Saint Cyril received the finest of educations, and from age 14
he was raised together with the son of the emperor. He early accepted the
dignity of presbyter. Upon his return to Constantinople, he worked as a
librarian of the cathedral church, and as a professor of philosophy. Saint
Cyril successfully held debates with iconoclast heretics and with Mahometans.
Yearning for solitude, he set off to Mount Olympos to his older brother
Methodios, but his solitude lasted only a short while. Both brothers were
dispatched by the emperor Michael in the year 857 on a missionary journey to preach
Christianity to the Khozars. Along the way they stopped off at Cherson and
discovered there the relics of the PriestMartyr Clement, Pope of Rome (Comm. 25
November). Arriving at the Khozars, the holy brothers spoke with them about the
Christian faith. Persuaded by the preaching of Saint Cyril, the Khozar prince
together with all his people accepted Christianity. The grateful prince wanted
to reward the preachers with rich presents, but they refused this and instead
asked the prince to free and send home with them all the Greek captives. Saint
Cyril returned to Constantinople together with 200 such captives set free.
In the year 862 began
the chief exploit of the holy brothers. At the request of prince Rostislav, the
emperor sent them to Moravia for preaching Christianity in the Slavic language.
Saints Cyril and Methodios by a revelation from God compiled a Slavonic alphabet
and translated into the Slavonic language – the Gospel, Epistles, the Psalter
and many Divine-service books. They introduced Divine-services in the Slavonic
tongue. The holy brothers were then summoned to Rome at the invitation of the
Roman pope. Pope Adrian received them with great honour, since they brought
with them the relics of the PriestMartyr Clement, Pope of Rome. By nature sickly
and of weak health, Saint Cyril from his many labours soon fell ill, and having
taken the schema, he died in the year 869 at age 42. Before his death, he
expressed last-wishes for his brother to continue with the Christian
enlightenment of the Slavs. Saint Cyril was buried in the Roman church of Saint
Clement, whose own relics also rest there, brought to Italy from Cherson by the
Enlighteners of the Slavs.
© 1996-2001 by translator Fr. S. Janos.
