Saints Cyril and Methodius were brothers from Thessalonica who became the most important missionaries to the Slavic peoples. They created the first Slavic alphabet, translated the Bible and liturgy into the Slavic language, and opened an entire civilization to Christianity and literacy. They are co-patron saints of Europe.
Life & Legacy
The story of Cyril and Methodius begins in ninth-century Thessalonica, where two brothers from a prominent family received the finest education the Byzantine Empire could offer. Cyril — originally named Constantine — was the younger, a brilliant linguist and philosopher who studied at the Imperial University in Constantinople. Methodius, the elder, had served as a provincial governor before feeling called to monastic life.
Their defining mission came in 862, when Prince Rastislav of Great Moravia sent a fateful request to the Byzantine Emperor: send us teachers who can preach to our people in our own language. The Western missionaries had been teaching only in Latin, a language no Slavic peasant could understand. Cyril and Methodius were chosen for the task — and what they accomplished changed the world.
Cyril created the Glagolitic alphabet, an entirely new writing system designed specifically for the Slavic language. For the first time, the Slavic peoples had a way to write their own tongue. The brothers then undertook the enormous task of translating the Gospels, Psalms, and liturgical texts into Old Church Slavonic, giving an entire civilization access to Scripture in their mother tongue.
Their work faced fierce opposition from Latin-rite clergy who insisted that only Hebrew, Greek, and Latin were acceptable languages for worship. The brothers traveled to Rome to defend their mission, and Pope Adrian II sided with them, authorizing the Slavonic liturgy. Cyril died in Rome in 869 at just 42. Methodius carried on alone for 16 more years, enduring imprisonment and persecution, until his death in 885. Their disciples carried their work south to Bulgaria, where it flourished and spread across all of Eastern Europe.
Why People Pray to Saints Cyril and Methodius
People pray to Saints Cyril and Methodius for the preservation of language, culture, and faith. They are the patron saints of all Slavic peoples and are invoked by those working in education, translation, and cultural preservation. Their example shows that authentic faith can and must speak in every language.
Their feast day on February 14 is celebrated as a national holiday in Bulgaria, Czech Republic, and North Macedonia. They are also co-patron saints of Europe, recognized alongside Saint Benedict for shaping the spiritual identity of the continent.
Patron Saint Of
Lasting Impact
The Cyrillic alphabet — developed by their disciples and named in Cyril's honor — is used today by hundreds of millions of people across Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Their insistence that the Gospel must speak in every language established a principle of cultural respect that the Church upholds to this day.
Pope John Paul II declared them co-patron saints of Europe in 1980, recognizing that their work bridged East and West, Latin and Greek, and gave birth to an entire civilization rooted in faith and learning.
Where Venerated
- Bulgaria
- Czech Republic
- Russia
- North Macedonia
- Slovenia
- Slovakia
- Serbia
- Poland
- All Slavic nations
- Catholic and Orthodox Churches worldwide